It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 4 and 15.
Order of Business.
Apart from our general protest about the manner in which very important legislation is being railroaded through the House this week, I want to express particular objection to the taking of the Insurance Bill today. I want to point out to the Taoiseach that at no stage in the discussions between the Whips was the Insurance Bill mentioned: it made its first appearance in the list of business to be taken when the guillotine motion was put down.
Apart from any of the other legislation being rushed through the House in a casual and haphazard manner, it is deplorable that the Insurance Bill should be dealt with in this manner. It is a very important, complex and tricky piece of legislation with considerable implications for the insurance and financial worlds. We want to register the strongest possible protest about it being brought forward at the very last minute. I want to say that in respect of any flaws and errors that may subsequently emerge and any detrimental effects the Bill will subsequently have, we have no responsibility for them because of the manner in which it is being put through the House.
Is it the intention of the Taoiseach and the Government to intervene today in the Tara Mines dispute? I raise it because of the imminent closure of the mines if there is not a solution to the strike. One thousand jobs are involved directly and hundreds of jobs are involved indirectly——
The Deputy will have an opportunity to raise that matter on the Adjournment. Does the Deputy wish to raise it on the Adjournment?
I should like to raise it on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I want to ask the Taoiseach about the reported negotiated agreement with the public service unions and if the settlement is not somewhere in the region of what would have obtained in the negotiations for a national wage agreement three weeks ago. Will the House have an opportunity to discuss this settlement? Am I correct in saying that it is approximately the same increase that would have been achieved——
I am not in a position to make a statement about it at the moment.
Is the Taoiseach not aware that we understand that the Dáil will be going into recess on Friday? Will he made a statement on this reported settlement between now and Friday?
When the position has been clarified about this I will make reference to it in due course — in the Adjournment debate at any rate.
Is the Taoiseach saying we will have an opportunity to discuss it in the House between now and Friday, and in detail?
The opportunity will arise during the Adjournment debate.
I am not talking about an Adjournment debate. I am asking the Taoiseach if we can discuss the settlement that has been reached, which I welcome, I might add. It would not have been obtained but for the efforts of Deputy Kavanagh within the Coalition Cabinet. I welcome that, but I want to know if we can discuss it in detail, particularly in view of the fact that we had a wage negotiation breakdown almost three weeks ago. I believe that the settlement achieved now would also have obtained in a national wage agreement.
I welcome the Deputy's recognition of the remarkable efforts of the Minister for Labour and the Public Service in this matter. That recognition is extremely well deserved. The timetable of the business of the House, I understand, was settled yesterday——
It was not settled.
It was settled in the same way as when this Government were there and you were here.
Democracy.
Fine Gael jackboot.
I am afraid people do not like being in Opposition, but these are unhappy facts of life. The Adjournment debate will provide an opportunity, and in so far as a settlement has been reached it will be appropriate for Government speakers to explain in detail how it was arrived at and for Opposition speakers to comment on it.
In view of what the Taoiseach has just said and if I understand him correctly, we will gladly arrange now to interrupt business at 6 o'clock or 7 o'clock today to enable the Taoiseach to make a statement on this matter. Would that be in order?
I do not think that is in order.
We can make any agreement we wish in this House. We can change anything by agreement. Would the Taoiseach be prepared to consider an agreement to give us an hour this evening or tomorrow morning to discuss this matter, or at least for the Taoiseach to make a statement on it?
The Deputy's suggestion has taken me somewhat by surprise in view of the complaints about lack of time to discuss legislation. I will consider the proposal and the Whips can discuss it. Such a discussion can only take place if and when a settlement has been reached finally.
I cannot hear the Taoiseach.
The Deputy's suggestion would be appropriate only if and when a settlement has been reached finally.
Do I take it therefore that despite newspaper reports a settlement has not been arrived at?
I do not want to say anything further at this stage. That is precisely why I do not want to be drawn on it.
It would be in the form of a very simple statement of fact. Either there has been a settlement or there has not.
Is it an informed leak?
Has it come to this that the Taoiseach does not know whether or not public service pay has been agreed?
Is the Taoiseach not talking to his Minister? On the Order of Business, in view of the fact that at last some rationality and realism are entering the minds of some members of the Government about the pay structure in the public service, would the Taoiseach now consider that it would be in the best interest of the employment of young persons, and a very worthwhile gesture to the many young people who are unemployed, if the Government were to lift the embargo imposed on the filling of vacancies in the public service?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
Surely it is one of the most relevant issues we should be discussing in the House this week in an adjournment debate. We are being prevented from doing that——
It is more pertinent to the Adjournment debate.
Having regard to the fact that University College Galway have given protective notice to ten people engaged in mari-culture research and the fact that the Taoiseach's Department are involved, would the Taoiseach tell the House if he has anything to put before the House on the Order of Business to deal with this very serious situation?
This is not Private Notice Question time.
Agreed. As the Taoiseach's Department are involved, I thought he might have something relevant to it to put on the Order of Business.
It would be a way of informing the Taoiseach what is going on in the country.