It is proposed to take No. 2(resumed). Private Members' Business will be Nos. 12 (resumed) and 19.
Order of Business.
With your permission, Sir, I want to ask the Taoiseach what steps he intends taking, in view of the growth of the numbers referred to, now 14 imprisoned Ranks workers, and in view of the potential seriousness of this situation in the whole field of industrial relations, for immediate intervention to prevent further escalation of an already explosive and serious situation.
I am sorry, Deputy, I must rule that that is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Mr. N. Andrews rose.
Deputy Niall Andrews.
May I submit to you, Sir, that this situation is without precedent in the history of the State? Never before has the number of workers in such a situation reached the figure of 14 — from three successive court hearings last week and this week.
It is not covered by Standing Orders and the Chair's discretion is restricted by Standing Orders. Deputy Niall Andrews.
Accepting always the ruling of the Chair, in view of the seriousness of the situation the Taoiseach has an obligation to prevent further escalation or a further explosive situation arising.
If the Deputy wants to discuss statements in the House he should approach the Government Whip through his own party Whip. Deputy Niall Andrews.
May I ask your permission then, Sir, to raise the issue on the Adjournment?
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy, but the Chair is bound to remind the Deputy that the matter was raised on Thursday last by himself.
With your indulgence, Sir, the Deputy must remind the Chair that the numbers have grown so substantially since Thursday last, that the present situation is seven times what it was on Thursday last.
I sought to raise by Private Notice Question the position of nuclear waste dumping in the Atlantic 380 miles south-west from this island. In view of the serious nature of this matter and the fact that there appears to be no ministerial presence at the London Dumping Conference at which serious decisions are being taken that will affect the seas around Ireland more than any other area, I sought to raise this by Private Notice Question. I had a meeting with you, Sir, at which you indicated the reasons you could not accept it as a Private Notice Question. I am very disappointed to hear that not alone has my Private Notice Question——
We cannot have a general discussion on a Private Notice Question.
——been ruled out of order but so also has Deputy Gregory's. Consequently I should like to raise this matter as one of grave urgency on the Adjournment. I hope you will accept it Sir, in the spirit in which I am seeking it.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy. However it is only right that I should say here that it did not occur to me, when I was speaking to the Deputy, that I had a similar discussion with one of his colleagues on Thursday last and I will have to weigh up the two questions.
May I say, Sir, that I accept your ruling on it?
May I ask your permission, Sir, to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 15 on the Order Paper of Thursday week last?
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
During the debate on Wednesday last on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1982, the Minister stated that he was not supporting the wording which he had himself put forward in the Bill.
I am a little surprised at Deputy Bertie Ahern. Obviously he is going to raise a matter which he raised last week. On that occasion the Chair then pointed out that he was anticipating a debate on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution Bill which I understand is on the Order Paper this week. I trust the Deputy will not raise this matter beyond inquiring about its progress or when it will be taken.
I do not think I am out of order. Under Standing Order No. 89 the Second Stage of a Bill must be about the principle of a Bill. If we do not know the wording how can we talk about the principle? How can we continue with the Second Stage if we do not know the wording?
It would be in order for the Deputy to raise that on Second Stage when it is resumed.
We did and the Minister sat dumb. We have tried for the fourth day to find out.
The Deputy knows well that it is not in order. He will have an opportunity to raise this at length and without restriction on Second Stage.
I accept the Chair's ruling but the Chair must appreciate that my party are having severe difficulty writing scripts when we do not know what it is about.
Is it the Taoiseach's intention to proceed with the Bill this week? I ask this because of the alarm created over the weekend. Is it his intention to keep to the schedule he set?
The Bill will be proceeded with this week as agreed. The Government are concerned that progress be made as rapidly as possible while resolving the difficulties which have arisen. There should be no avoidable delay in proceeding with it. Any suggestion of a decision to shelve it or delay it is entirely without foundation as was made clear by the Government statement issued over the weekend.
The only problem would seem to be that we do not know the wording of the Bill.
Will the Taoiseach assure the House that he will not create any further confusion in this important matter?
Deputies
Hear, hear.
That is not in order.
Will the Taoiseach confirm that the new wording has been shown to the Government? Everyone in the country is waiting to hear the wording of the Bill. The Taoiseach knows well what is involved.
We have dealt with that.
On an entirely different aspect, I should like to ask the Taoiseach to take serious note of the fact that the events in Galway which made it necessary for the Government to issue a statement yesterday, preceded on another occasion by a similar type incident, have caused reputable journalists to seriously question the information they are getting from the Government Information Service.
This could not possibly arise on the Order of Business.
The Taoiseach is the head of the GIS.
Do the Government know what they are doing?
I accept the Chair's ruling but I make the point to the Taoiseach in all good faith that the information emanating from the GIS is frequently said to be from a source close to the Government and has become unreliable and is causing panic.
That matter might be properly raised on the Estimates for the Taoiseach's Department.