Today's Order of Business is items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Item 1, Motion re. Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983, to be taken without debate; item 2, Parental Leave Bill, 1998 [Seanad Bill amended by Dáil] Report and Final Stages; item 3, Food Safety Authority of Ireland Bill, 1998, Committee and Remaining Stages; item 4, Turf Development Bill, 1997, Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 3 p.m.; item 5, Statements on tax free and duty free shopping post 1999, to be taken from 6-8 p.m., each statement not to exceed ten minutes and item 6, Statements on the Report of the Independent Inquiry into matters relating to Child Sexual Abuse in Swimming, to be taken at the conclusion of item 5.
Order of Business.
When the Leader says the Turf Development Bill will be taken at 3 p.m., I presume if the other business has not concluded by then it will be taken at the end of other business this evening and that there is no question of truncating business. Could the Leader confirm that on item 5 — Fianna Fáil Private Members' time — the format has been changed? Finally, could the Leader indicate if any further business not indicated by the Whip is proposed to be taken between now and the end of session?
As I said on yesterday's Order of Business, there will be many outstanding items of business at the end of this session. At this afternoon's meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges the Leader of the House should outline whether committee work on this business should take place during the recess.
The Government's tax revenue has increased beyond all expectation and there will be a huge amount of money in the Central Bank reserves when we join the euro next year. At a time when there are cutbacks in many areas, particularly in education, the Government should indicate its plans for spending that money. It should take a good look at its Programme for Government before making decisions and avoid being sucked into the Minister for Finance's proposals to eliminate this mythical national debt.
I compliment the Leader on his juggling act in including so many items on the Order of Business. However, one must be critical of the amount of business which has been put through the House in the last week. We are certainly cramming the agenda.
Item 5 is statements on duty free shopping post 1999. Is this being taken in the context of the Labour Party motion, item 19, motion 4? The Education Bill is currently with the Dáil. It is an important Bill which was initiated by the last Government. That Government spent a considerable amount of time preparing it but it has now been with the Dáil for 12 months. I hope it will be dealt with quickly. There are outstanding issues in education which must be dealt with, for example, Breaking the Cycle and the loss of teachers in both rural and urban areas. These are serious matters which require a response from the Minister for Education and Science.
While I am reluctant to seek a debate on this matter given the crowded agenda, will the Leader seek clarification from the Minister for Education and Science about this legislation and whether teachers will have jobs to return to in the autumn?
I also congratulate the Leader of the House on managing to fit so much into the Order of Business. However, it is unlikely that amendments by this House will be accepted since the Dáil is unlikely to sit after tomorrow. In that context, I wish to congratulate my colleague, Senator Henry. An amendment she put down to the Parental Leave Bill was accepted in principle by the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Wallace, who put down a similar amendment in the Dáil which was accepted. I do not necessarily agree with the amendment but I congratulate Senator Henry on the manner in which she secured it.
Last Monday the Singapore Government passed three laws which enabled the legal acceptance of electronic commerce. The concept of this legislation is to enable Singapore to become the south-east Asian hub of developments in electronic commerce. This is an issue to which we should give serious attention because a contract conducted through electronic means is not regarded as legal in this State. Such a contract is now legal in Singapore. I am not sure whether this issue is within the remit of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform or the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. It is probably the responsibility of the latter to seek this type of legislation while the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law reform is responsible for putting it in place. I ask the Leader of the House to draw the attention of these Ministers to the action taken by Singapore. Singapore is now one of our commercial competitors and, if Ireland is to create jobs in the future, this is the type of legislation it must consider in the short term.
Will the Leader organise a debate on the taxi problem in Dublin city for the next session? There is not enough time in this session but perhaps he would contact the Minister and urge her to do something about the problem during the recess. A debate could be held in the Seanad early in the next session with a view to rectifying it. The public deserves better than it is getting in this regard at present.
Mr. Ryan
Will the Leader explain why item 1 is being taken without debate? An Bord Pleanála is a powerful body and deserves as much scrutiny as possible.
It was already debated in the Seanad but the Senator was not present.
Mr. Ryan
I am reluctant to raise this issue as it appears to be a criticism of the Chair. However, Senator Norris's matter for debate on the Adjournment uses a term to describe the leader of a government, with which this country has diplomatic relations, which appears to set a precedent. If I described the leader of Israel as "the fascist Netanyahu", Senator Norris would take great exception to it. I do not have much sympathy for the government of Zimbabwe but to use the term used by Senator Norris invites all Members to increase the colour of their language in formal parliamentary statements.
We can remove that reference from the motion if the Senator wishes and substitute a more acceptable one. I will certainly give consideration to the point raised by Senator Ryan.
Mr. Ryan
Otherwise I, too, might take liberties. God knows what I might say about the Cathaoirleach.
I enthusiastically endorse Senator O'Toole's comments about the extraordinary attitude of the Minister for Finance to the Government's increasing riches. The most idiotic thing we could do at present is reduce the national debt. There are crying needs in this country for infrastructural investment, particularly for housing. There will be a cardboard city in Dublin of European proportions within the next two years if nothing is done. The idea of paying off the national debt to keep somebody in Brussels or Frankfurt happy is insane. It is time a debate began on what we should do with our riches.
I hope the Leader will explain why item 1 will be taken without debate. I have strong views about motions being taken without debate by the House.
I wish to refer to two items on the Order Paper, item 16 and item 19 motion 7, which relate to MMDS and telephone masts. In recent weeks there has been a great deal of controversy about these matters in local communities, particularly in County Donegal. The Glenties local deflector system was forced off the air as a result of a High Court action while further action is anticipated against the Ardara local deflector group. There was also controversy about a telephone mast on Achill Island during the week. When does the Leader expect to have the report of the Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport on the Director of Telecommunications Regulation before the House?
I spoke to the director at a recent meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Heritage and the Irish Language. After nearly a year of such discussions she appears to be hiding or holding back due to pending legal cases. While it is the regulator's function to deal with regulation, it is the function of the Department of Public Enterprise to deal with legislation. These problems have arisen due to poor legislation in the past. When the Seanad last debated this matter, the Minister of State attended. However, the Minister for Public Enterprise should come before the House to explain what legislative proposals she has in this regard.
Will the Leader arrange for a debate on the environment at the earliest opportunity? There is little evidence to suggest that environmental protection is being given the priority it needs and deserves. It has taken two years to put the national litter plan in place, even though the last Dáil passed up-to-date legislation on litter pollution. That does not suggest a sense of urgency. I will not list all the areas about which I am extremely concerned but there is no evidence of new ideas emanating from the Government to deal with the rapid deterioration in the quality of our water. Last night there was another horrific fish kill. The time has come — in fact it is overdue — to debate the green environment with a view to getting some impetus into measures to confront the rapid deterioration of our water quality and other elements of our environment.
I wish to refer to two types of regulations on today's Order Paper. The first one deals with the licensing of road vehicles. Can the Leader seek urgent action from the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to deal with the backlog of licence applications from drivers which is resulting in people being unable to avail of work and holding up business? Second, I welcome the introduction of the regulations and commencement order under the Decommissioning Act which was passed last year. I urge all those who will have to co-operate with the international body to do so in the interest of progressing the implementation of the British-Irish Agreement. This co-operation in accordance with the Agreement could help to place its current position on a firmer footing.
I support Senator Quill's call for a debate on our environment and on the policies the Government, particularly the Department of the Environment and Local Government, has to improve the quality and structure of our environment in the future. A recent survey organised by the Fisheries Board indicated that the Munster waterways are the most polluted at the moment. With all the development in this area this subject merits serious debate in this House.
I support Senator Bonner's call for a debate on telecommunications. I wrote to the director of telecommunications, the regulator and to the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, on this subject and on the poor quality of television transmission, particularly in the Mayo area. I was not happy with the response I received. It is up to the Minister with responsibility for telecommunications to resolve this problem and I call on her to do so urgently.
I, too, support Senator Quill's call for a debate on the environment. Members will recall that on two occasions I recently requested a debate on litter. We are trying to promote tourism as a major industry and, to some extent, we have been successful, but the manner in which we are littering our countryside and public places is a matter of great concern. I ask the Leader to arrange an early debate.
Mobile telephone masts are causing concern in my county. Recently almost 500 people attended a meeting on this matter in the Delvin area and another meeting was held in another part of County Westmeath. This matter is causing widespread concern and I ask that it be addressed as a matter of urgency with a view to clearing up the real or imagined dangers. There is a perception that these masts pose a danger to public health.
I support a call to reduce the backlog of driving tests for lorry drivers. For the first time haulage companies had to keep some of their fleet off the road because they could not employ drivers. Some employers have to employ English drivers. Only recently extra inspectors and testers were appointed. No more than any other services, the more we appoint the slower the service becomes. An emergency system should be in place because industry will come to a halt without road hauliers. These people transport our products to the continent and bring raw materials back. If haulage companies cannot find drivers and their trucks are not in use, then our industrial life will come to a standstill.
We have two extra pieces of legislation for tomorrow — it is proposed to take this legislation without debate, as happened in the Dáil — they are the Compatibility, Privileges and Immunities of Witnesses Act, 1997——
This the first time we have heard of this.
——and the Investor Compensation Bill report.
Do not take us for granted.
I will meet the Chief Whips immediately after the Order of Business this morning to discuss this to see if it is convenient for them to debate these issues tomorrow. I only found out about them after 10 a.m.
In relation to item 5, I assure Senator Manning that if this afternoon's business is not completed, it is proposed to resume business at the conclusion of item 6.
In reply to Senator O'Toole's comments, I can confirm that there will be committees sitting throughout July. It is envisaged committees will not sit in August so that Members will be able to take holidays. I ask the press to take note that while the Houses are not sitting for July and part of September the committee system will be in action for all of July and almost all of September.
Senator Costello referred to item 5. Most of his motion 14 is being dealt with under this item. Senators Costello, O'Toole and others expressed concern about education. I will pass on their comments, particularly those relating to the Government proposed Estimates for the forthcoming budget.
Senator Quinn expressed concern about new technology. We should have a debate on this issue and I will facilitate it early in the next session.
Senator Dan Kiely voiced concern about extra taxi licences for the city of Dublin. I will pass on his concerns to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. I am sure he will welcome a Kerry Senator intervening in Dublin taxi matters.
Senator Ryan referred to item 1. This was already debated in this House. I know the Senator may not have been in attendance. It is with the full agreement of the main Opposition parties that this proposal is before us this morning. Senator Doyle expressed his concerns about this yesterday morning.
Senators Bonner and Burke referred to item 16. I will facilitate a debate on this early in the next session. Senators Quill, Chambers and Glynn requested a debate on the environment and related matters. We can also have a debate on this matter in the early part of the next session.
I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senators Gallagher and Farrell on the licensing and test driving licences for truck or lorry drivers. There should be no excuse for this backlog and the system should be improved to meet demand.
Order of Business agreed to.