The Order of Business today is No. 1, statements on the crisis in Mozambique, with the contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 20 minutes and those of other Members not to exceed 15 minutes; No. 2, Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill, 1998 [Dáil] – Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 3 p.m. and to conclude today; business will be interrupted from 1.30 p.m. to 3 p.m.; and No. 18, motion No. 17, to be taken from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Order of Business.
I have no problem with today's Order of Business. In view of the fact that we seem to be light on legislation this week – we are only taking Report Stage of one Bill in a three day sitting, although I welcome the opportunity to have debates on issues – will the Leader indicate the legislation he believes will be taken in the House between now and the end of the session? Will he guarantee that Ministers will not come in here on the last few days indicating that all Stages of a Bill must be cleared or the world will collapse? We must be able to examine legislation in an ordered way, especially the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, an important Bill for which time will be needed to tease out the serious issues involved.
Will the Leader make time available for a discussion on the whole area of arts and culture? Serious issues have arisen in this area, including the unsettled nature of the Arts Council; the future of broadcasting, on which many views will be expressed; and the point raised yesterday, namely, the danger to a part of our heritage due to the collapse of buildings in the Phoenix Park and the need to ensure that all archives in the custody of the State are properly housed. I would welcome the opportunity to have a debate on this area.
The House should welcome the budget surplus and should ask the Government how it intends using the money. People should be reassured that this money will allow the Government to implement the commitments on taxation and to address the problem of inflation. The Government should indicate its intention in that regard. I look forward to a debate on that in the House and I ask the Leader to arrange it.
We should welcome the budget surplus. Such a buoyant surplus is tremendous at this time of the year – it is almost four times what it was this time last year. It is puzzling, however, that the mandarins in the Department of Finance estimate that the returns at the end of the year will have increased by half a billion pounds when they have already increased by that amount. I would have thought a reasonable expectation would be a surplus at least in excess of £2 billion, and perhaps even as much as £4 billion. I echo what Senator O'Toole said. This is a matter we should discuss because many areas need to be addressed, none more than the infrastructural aspect. We have massive traffic congestion in this city yet public transport is given the minimum amount of investment, and many other areas need to be addressed to ensure we have enough buses to run on the quality bus corridors. We have heard a lot about the Luas project but it has not been—
We must not pre-empt the debate which has been sought, Senator Costello.
There is ample reason for a good debate. As Senator Manning said, we seem to be a little light on legislative matters and perhaps this is an issue that would bring the Minister for Finance into the House so that we can ask him what he intends to do.
I reiterate the point I made yesterday on a debate on health. The Leader of the House indicated he would be interested in facilitating such a debate but considering the publication of a very fine Labour Party document on the matter, will he give us some indication as to when the debate might take place?
It is nice to hear the Opposition call for debates on such positive aspects of Government policy.
Senator Dardis will note that the Independents also called for a debate.
Senator O'Toole sits on the Opposition benches.
(Interruptions).
Order, please.
I will consider Senator O'Toole's point. If he wishes to come to this side of the House at any time he will be very welcome.
Mr. Ryan
I am glad Senator O'Toole supports the Government.
It is nice to be in the position of worrying how to spend money, not how to generate the income. In that context it would be useful to debate these issues. I commend the Minister for Finance for making the explicit statement yesterday that income tax rates will continue to fall by a cumulative level of 10%.
(Interruptions).
It is in accordance with the agreement which was reached with the social partners.
Mr. Ryan
The social partners are not too keen on cuts in tax rates.
What one member of the Labour Party may think is not in accord with the general view—
With the rest of the Labour Party.
—of people within that party and in the trade union movement.
Mr. Ryan
We do not believe in subsidising the rich like the Progressive Democrats do.
We cannot have this type of debate on the Order of Business.
I will be happy to debate these issues with Senator Ryan but I bow to the Chathaoirleach's ruling and we will wait until the debate.
I cannot agree with my colleagues who have welcomed the surplus of £1 billion. I support the call for a debate with the Minister for Finance. I would be ashamed to be a member of a Government that has a surplus of £1 billion while we have the worst infrastructure and health services in Europe.
Hear, hear.
It is a crying shame that the Government has a £1 billion surplus while our health services are in a very bad state. People must wait four or five years for hip operations and many other procedures.
The Senator's points are more relevant to the debate which has been sought.
I support the call for a debate and I hope we can get a large amount of money from the Minister for Finance for our infrastructure and health services.
I am pleased that the Opposition and the Independents are complimenting the Minister for Finance and the Government on the excellent state of the public finances. The first thing we must do is ensure that we pay off the national debt that was doubled by a particular Government in the late 1980s.
We cannot have a debate on the national finances now.
This Government is paying off the national debt in an organised way.
The Senator is talking about the Government in office from 1977 until 1981 who trebled the national debt.
It will be useful to have a debate on the healthy state of the State's finances. I am very pleased, as is Senator Dardis, that the Minister for Finance indicated yesterday that the Government would honour any commitments given in the agreement reached with the social partners over the past weeks.
I welcome the decision made by the Government or the ESB to locate two new power stations in the midlands, one in Shannonbridge and another in Lanesboro. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Public Enterprise to ask the ESB what types of materials will be used in these power stations? There are serious implications for counties Offaly, Roscommon and Longford if peat is not used. The material to be used has not been made clear in the statement. Will the Leader establish whether these will be milled peat power stations so that we can assure the hundreds of workers in the midlands currently employed by Bord na Móna on its bogs that they will continue to have jobs? Can the Leader also find out if it is intended to use gas that may be piped through that region in a link-up between Galway and Dublin?
I support Senator Manning's call to have the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Island present for a debate. I am particularly concerned at the lack of archaeologists in Dúchas. We have unprecedented growth and infrastructural developments, but developers are putting our national monuments at risk. I can cite three examples of monuments in the Limerick area that have been effectively demolished by developers in their zeal to pursue building. If we have to wait for archaeologists then it will be too late for our monuments. I ask that Dúchas be allowed to increase its number of archaeologists. I also ask for the Minister to come here so that we can ensure our national monuments are not obliterated as a result of progress.
I urge the Leader to contact the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources and ask him to expedite proposed legislation to enable our naval vessels to arrest fishing vessels outside the 12 mile limit. A recent announcement stated that this matter is with the Attorney General. This is a most serious matter because our fishermen are being attacked, particularly by marauding Spanish vessels. Their gear has been cut and vessels have been rammed. Over a year ago a life was lost when a vessel was rammed off the coast of west Cork. It is ludicrous that our vessels cannot arrest marauding Spanish vessels outside the 12 mile limit. I have a keen interest in this area and I urge the Leader to introduce this legislation early in the next term.
Mr. Ryan
I ask the Leader if he has any information about the future prospects of the Telecommunications (Infrastructure) Bill, 1999. Last week he undertook to find out what was happening in relation to it.
I suggest we have a debate on competition policy. I compliment the vintners, particularly Senator Bohan, on their success in preserving the capital assets of the licensed trade by not allowing any more licences to be issued.
The Senator's points can be made when the Bill comes before the House.
Mr. Ryan
We need a comprehensive competition policy. Instead we are getting a competition policy for the public sector. While private vested interests in the legal profession, the licensed trade and many other areas are protected, the public sector is being lectured on a weekly basis about the need to be competitive. There is a need for a coherent competition policy, not one designed to bash around the public sector.
I welcome the Labour Party's conversion to the competitive market.
Last week a report called Food-Agri 2010 was published and the consequences of it are very far reaching for rural Ireland and Ireland in general. It would be important for this House to have an input into a debate on this matter and I ask the Leader to provide time for such a debate.
In view of the blunder that was made in the National Beef Assurance Scheme Bill, 1999—
That is a matter for the other House.
—and the discrepancies between what the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development had to say in this House and in the other House—
I insist that we cannot have a rehash of this matter on the Order of Business.
That issue has been thrashed out in the columns of the Irish Farmers' Journal.
It was debated in the Dáil yesterday. I am extremely concerned because there are huge discrepancies—
What was debated in the Dáil yesterday is of no interest to this House.
We must force this matter on to the business of the House. I ask the Leader to clarify the two points of views coming from the Department and from the different Ministers.
The Senator must find a different way to raise this matter.
Will the Leader table an amendment to the Bill? If he does not wish to do that, then this side of the House will do something about it. We will expect the support of all the Members on the Government side.
I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Defence that there will be 750 extra recruits to the Defence Forces. This is a welcome development given all that has been said about the Defence Forces, most of which was untrue.
That matter has no relevance to the Order of Business.
Senator Glynn is making a speech.
It is a welcome development regarding a matter which was discussed in this House.
I also call for a debate on the NRA. There are marvellous roadworks being carried out around the country, but it is important to have a debate on the concept of road development and how it impacts on small rural businesses, especially those situated along those roads. Rural development is an important issue. A more flexible approach to road development could be adopted by the relevant local authorities.
I raised the groceries order on yesterday's Order of Business. Has the Leader had any success in arranging a debate on this issue, which is of paramount importance and urgently required?
I compliment Senators on the number of magnificent contributions made on the statements on litter yesterday. That was very heartening, given the number of Senators who sought a debate on this issue over the past months.
Senator Manning inquired about the legislation to be taken between now and the Easter recess. Three Bills will be initiated in the House in that time. Second Stage of the Electronic Commerce Bill, 2000, will be taken on Friday, 14 April, by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke. The Containment of Nuclear Weapons Bill, 2000, will be taken the following week, Holy Week, along with Second Stage of the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, 2000.
Very inappropriate for Holy Week.
It is very welcome that three major Bills will initiated in the House before the Easter recess.
Senators Manning and Jackman called for a debate with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands on the future of broadcasting and other aspects of arts and culture. I hope to arrange that for immediately after the Easter recess.
Senators O'Toole, Dardis, Burke, Finneran and Costello welcomed the budget surplus for the first three months of the year announced yesterday. I join in that welcome and would have no problem in putting time aside for a debate on it. There were one million people working in the country in 1990 and today there are 1.7 million people working, with 45,000 people returning in each of the past three years. Most of Senator Burke's concerns are addressed in our national development plan, which serves, in particular—
That is an aspiration.
—the BMW region very well. If he does not have a copy yet, I have a spare copy with me which I can let him have after the Order of Business. Senator Finneran—
That is a wish list.
It is a factual list. We understand that it might not be possible for the Senator to agree with it all.
Senator Finneran raised the issue of the two new power stations at Ferbane and Lanesboro. I will pass on his concerns to the Minister and try to find out the type of fuel that will be used in those stations. I hope, like the Senator, that it will be milled peat.
I will pass on Senator O'Donovan's views to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources. Senator Ryan raised the issue of the telecommunications Bill. I told the House last week that I would find out about it. I am meeting the Minister after the Order of Business today and I will return to the House on this matter on tomorrow's Order of Business.
I will allow time for a debate on the agri-food report raised by Senator Callanan. I will pass Senator Hayes's views to the Minister.
Senator Glynn called for a debate on the National Roads Authority. This is a very timely request, given the amount of work to be done over the next seven years on improving our road infrastructure. I will allow time for a debate on this at the earliest possible opportunity, especially in relation to small businesses because I know the Senator has received many inquiries about that aspect. While an improved road infrastructure is fantastic, it should not be done at the cost of dividing parishes, particularly small rural parishes.
Senator John Cregan inquired about the groceries order. Both sides of both Houses are in total agreement that if it is not retained rural life will become completely diminished and we can do away with our rural development plan and our Minister with responsibility for rural development. I can say as Leader of this House that we are in agreement this must not happen.
Order of Business agreed to.