It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 4, 15, 5, 16 and 17 (resumed). There will be no Private Members' Business today but business will be interrupted at 7 p.m. to complete the Second and remaining Stages of the Fuels (Control of Supplies) Bill, 1982, and by agreement the Supplementary Estimate being introduced this morning will be disposed of before item No. 15 is taken.
Order of Business.
You disallowed a question of mine on the Adjournment yesterday. I understand the reasons were that the implications of the question I suggested for the Adjournment were too great for a half hour discussion and you suggested, through your office, that I place a substantive motion before the House dealing with the subject of Deputy Mitchell's interference with the Garda.
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
I understand from the explanation I got from your office that that being the case presumably such a motion would deal with matters such as whether this was the first time that Deputy Mitchell was involved in such activity.
You cannot discuss this matter now. You were told that the means at your disposal were to put down a substantive motion. But I cannot discuss it now. We are not going into the merits or demerits of that.
I just want a direction.
You can get a direction if you call to my office.
I think it is imperative that we have some statement from the Opposition on this matter. As you know, the Order of Business for this House is now separate and it is very difficult to get a substantive motion in dealing with this.
You cannot continue like this. The means at your disposal have been notified to you and if you want clarification you can come up and discuss it with me in my office. But you cannot discuss it here on the Order of Business.
Will the Chair accept a Private Notice Question for this evening?
I cannot make a decision now. The Deputy should submit it and I will consider it.
I would like to ask the Minister for Labour if he is taking any steps to ensure the release of the person who is being held in Mountjoy for picketing?
That does not arise on the Order of Business because it is a matter for the courts.
Is he taking any steps to ensure that the law is changed to prevent this abuse of workers when they are engaged in lawful picketing?
Again, that does not arise on the Order of Business.
Then I would ask for a debate on this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I have submitted a Private Notice Question for this evening at half past three on this issue of the imprisonment of a worker. I presume it will be considered.
Yes, the Chair will be considering that.
(Cavan-Monaghan): On the Order of Business, the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Bill, 1982, comes into operation on 25 July. Consequent on this, very substantial increases will occur in the rents of many tenants. Section 23 of that Bill makes provision for the preparation of regulations by the Minister for Social Welfare to grant allowances to tenants who suffer hardship as a result of the coming into operation of the Bill in question. I would like to know whether the Minister for Social Welfare has prepared these regulations and whether it would be necessary to bring them before the House or what the position is in regard to them.
The regulations have been prepared and will be available by the weekend.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Does that mean that the regulations will be operative by the weekend?
Yes, and in time for 26 July.
On that point, is there any possibility of their being made available so that we can see them before the House adjourns in case there are any aspects of them that the House might wish to advert to?
I will certainly do my best to have them circulated before the House adjourns.
I ask permission to raise on the Adjournment the apparently conflicting statements made in relation to Government policy in regard to compensation for reactors by the Minister for Agriculture at a recent meeting.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
On a point of order, I want to inquire from you whether you would consider it appropriate to raise in the form of a Private Notice Question the extremely serious matter adverted to by Deputy Niall Andrews in view of the fact that a police spokesman is reported yesterday as having said that political interference has always been a problem for them? Surely it would be wise to pass this inquiry into a form ——
(Interruptions.)
You cannot make speeches on the Order of Business. There are other means at your disposal.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of information, could I ask Deputy Garret FitzGerald, who was the Taoiseach of the day, if he was aware of this blatant matter which was carried out by the Minister for Justice of the day? Furthermore, does he agree ——
This is not appropriate on the Order of Business.
(Interruptions.)
Is it proposed to take No. 5 and No. 16 together, since they are related?
(Interruptions.)
We heard a lot about character assassination from the Taoiseach recently.
Who is spreading these scandalous leaflets?
Order, please. Deputy Quinn.
It is sometimes hard to remind parties on both sides that the Civil War is over and that they should stop bickering. There are 150,000 other reasons for becoming agitated. Is it proper in agreeing to the Order of Business to make provision for an additional item in relation to the establishment of a select committee on urban building land, the terms of reference of which may be dealt with in the House later today.
The terms of reference are under discussion between the spokesmen for the parties and if the matter can be concluded today it could be introduced, by agreement.
I think agreement can be reached between the groups involved. I want to make sure that we will be in order, within the archaic rules of this House, in having the terms of reference of the committee established so that it can be sent to the Seanad.
(Cavan-Monaghan): We can do anything by agreement.
I wish to ask the Minister for Health why the Children's Bill promised this session has not appeared and when he expects to introduce it.
The Bill was promised for the coming session and will be circulated during the recess.