Today's Order of Business is item 1, Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 1998. I ask the House's co-operation in taking all Stages. The Bill puts into statutory effect the proposals of the independent commission on constituency boundaries. No amendments have been tabled. I propose 15 minutes per speaker.
Order of Business.
I am not sure if all Members are happy with all the contents of the Bill but, given that it is the result of the report of the commission, we will not be challenging it. We have no difficulty in agreeing to the Order of Business as outlined by the Acting Leader.
However, I wish to raise an important matter. It is a serious matter when a former Taoiseach intervenes in day to day politics. I wish to draw the attention of the Acting Leader to the remarks made yesterday and reported in today's Examiner of Deputy Reynolds. Will the Acting Leader provide Government time to discuss this matter? Will the Acting Leader ask the Taoiseach to come to this House, the only House of the Oireachtas sitting today, and first, confirm that Deputy Reynolds did advise him not to appoint Mr. Ray Burke to the Cabinet and, second, confirm that Deputy Reynolds and Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn referred him specifically to files in the Department of Justice dealing with passports for sale? I want to know the result of that inquiry, if he inquired into it and if it affected his decision. Third, on a related matter, I want the immediate publication of the review carried out by the Government last May into the passports for sale controversy. The Acting Leader will remember that he referred to this report in his contribution on that debate earlier this year.
This file is relevant to the allegations made yesterday by Deputy Reynolds and to many aspects of the current controversy. It is my belief that this file has been suppressed. It certainly has not been published, as we were told it would be, during that holding debate earlier this year. The Acting Leader would agree with me that in the interests of the openness and transparency with which all parties — and his party in particular — are credited, immediate steps should be taken to publish this report. I ask that the Order of Business be expanded to invite the Taoiseach to the House as this is the only House sitting and as these matters are of immediate importance.
I understand the Acting Leader's desire to deal with all Stages of the Bill today, although people outside this House have said they would have liked the constituencies redrawn in a different way. I do not object to dealing with all Stages of the Bill. I share Senator Manning's concern about the revelations in today's newspapers and perhaps the Acting Leader can arrange for the Taoiseach to come to the House.
I do not object to the Government's decision on the euro. However, it is appropriate that we debate the recent recommendation of the European Parliament that countries joining EMU will be excluded from the allocation of Cohesion Funds. This is an extraordinary decision which will have serious implications for Ireland. I ask for an opportunity to debate this issue because this kind of recommendation, after a decision has been made on the euro, is unhelpful. I appreciate the final decision will be made by the Council of Ministers. However, there are implications if the recommendation is acted upon by the Council.
Will the Acting Leader ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House to advise us on what steps can be taken to prevent the horrific attacks on old people, the most recent of which was in Bricin's Park in my constituency?
I thank Senator Manning and Senator Henry for agreeing to the arrangements on item 1. As regards the Taoiseach's availability to come to the House, it is virtually impossible to arrange that at such short notice given the Taoiseach's programme, notwithstanding the serious nature of these matters. The House has no control over Deputy Albert Reynolds and any remarks he makes. In these circumstances it is difficult to agree to Senator Manning's request. I agree with the Senator that the review on the passports scheme should be published. The scheme was stopped and only outstanding applications will be dealt with.
Senator Finneran asked for a debate on EMU. The European Communities Bill will be before the House next Thursday and that will be an opportunity to debate this matter in detail. There will also be an opportunity for debate when we deal with the EMU Bill.
Senator Kett raised attacks on the elderly. It is appalling that people have lost their lives as a result of gratuitous violence and robbery. This concerns everyone and I am sure the Minister would like to come to the House to discuss it. However, in the absence of new legislation, it is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and the Garda authorities, notwithstanding the fact that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has a keen interest and a strong desire to ensure that these attacks stop.
Is the Order of Business agreed to?
It is agreed to but I intend to have the matter I raised discussed under Standing Order 29.
Order of Business agreed to.