On the Order of Business, I requested permission from you today, Sir, to put down a Private Notice Question relating to the proposed closure of the cement factory at Boyne Road in Drogheda.
Order of Business.
The Chair has replied to Deputy Faulkner in respect to that matter. He may not raise it in the House.
I would have thought that, in view of the need to alleviate the anxiety resulting from the announced proposed closure, which would involve the loss of 400 jobs——
The Deputy must appreciate that it is not in order to raise the matter like this in the House. I have communicated with Deputy Faulkner.
I would have thought that, in view of the need to alleviate the anxiety of the cement workers and their families, the Minister should make a statement as soon as possible and I was giving him an opportunity to make such a statement.
I have given the Deputy my reasoning on the matter and he may not raise it in the House. There will be ample opportunity to deal with it.
In view of the urgency of the matter——
It has not been deemed urgent in accordance with Standing Orders.
In view of what I have said, I find it difficult to understand the ruling.
The ruling of the Chair must be obeyed.
I take it that, whatever ruling you may have given on Deputy Faulkner's proposed question there is nothing to prevent the Minister, if he wishes to do so, from making a statement in the House on the matter? I take it that is the position?
I have given Deputy Faulkner my decision on this matter.
The Ceann Comhairle will accept that it is very urgent so far as the workers are concerned.
It is proposed to take No. 6, Votes 27 to 33 (resumed) and Vote 37.
Back to the Estimates. No business.
In reply to a question by my colleague, Deputy Molloy, last week in relation to the date of the introduction of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill the Taoiseach said it would be introduced for Second Reading debate shortly, whereupon the Minister for Local Government interjected, and I quote: "As soon as the Monaghan by-election is over".
I did not say that.
Will the Taoiseach clarify did he mean by "shortly" what the Minister for Local Government said?
It will be circulated today.
As soon as the by-election was announced, and since you have decided to have it next week you can have it now.
As soon as it was over.
That is on the records of the House.
That is not what I said.
I just wanted clarification.
We will see the "Tullymandering" today.
May I ask the Taoiseach, through you, Sir, whether the repeal of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act has been further thought of and whether the Government might order it to be taken in the House and, finally whether the Labour Party have come to the conclusion which the Taoiseach announced here some time ago, that the Government were not interested in dealing with this matter at all.
The answer is "no".
I want to hear what the Tánaiste has to say.
It was not included in the list of legislation which the Taoiseach called out yesterday, but is it proposed to introduce a Bill to deal with the operations of the building societies? Such a Bill was promised on a number of occasions during the Summer Recess. I noticed that, in reading out a list of proposed legislation to come before the Dáil during this session, the Taoiseach did not refer to any such legislation. Is it not the intention to bring forward a Bill to update legislation controlling the operations of building societies?
If it is ready it will be brought in.
The urgency which the Minister for Local Government attached to it during the recess is not being attached to it now by the Taoiseach or by the Minister?
I do not think we should engage in a debate on this matter.
Action is being taken to deal with the urgent situation that existed.
If Deputy Molloy had done a little more work on it last year he could have had it anytime.