: It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, all Stages, 2 and 7 (resumed). By agreement, the proceedings on item No. 2 will be brought to a conclusion at 2.30 p.m., if not previously concluded.
Order of Business .
: I wish to raise two points with the Taoiseach. Would he be prepared to acknowledge that the Order of Business before us today really amounts to nothing and that in fact we are wasting our time here today? Would he make some statement about the legislative programme of the Government? Is there any legislation on the stocks or will we from now until the summer recess be dealing with minor technical matters of the sort we have on the Order Paper today? Is the Taoiseach prepared to make any statement or to say anything to us about the unprecedented flood of leaked documents, which we learned about in our newspapers this morning? Would he agree that it discloses a very dangerous and unhappy state of affairs that the most confidential documents of this sort can be made available to Members of this House who are not entitled to receive them and to people in the media generally? Would he further acknowledge that his Government have perhaps set a very dangerous precedent in this regard and that the old Irish sean fhocal filleann an feall ar an bhfeallaire is not entirely inappropriate in this situation?
: The first point raised by the Leader of the Opposition is quite in order for the Order of Business. The second point raised by the Leader of the Opposition regarding leaked documents is hardly in order. It is certainly not in order beyond a brief question, which has been made, and a very brief reply.
: My brief reply is that I share the concern of the Leader of the Opposition about the fact that these documents have been leaked. With regard to the Order of Business for today the matters are ones that the Dáil has to deal with. The Dáil will have a heavy load of legislation between now and the summer recess. The Finance Bill will be the first major item but there are a number of other matters to be dealt with before that. Consultations between the Whips will, as I said yesterday, take place on this legislation and how it can be got through the Dáil by the time the Summer recess takes place. There are a number of very substantial measures involved and we will have some difficulty in getting through them all in time. I can reassure the Leader of the Opposition on that point.
: Could the Taoiseach at this stage give us some indication of what these measures are and what the difficulties in regard to them are that he refers to?
: There are a number of difficulties. Like all measures they have to go through the process of approval with the Government in relation to heads of legislation, drafting, agreement by the Government and submission to the House. The process is underway in respect of these measures, which are at different stages. As I said, I am anxious that the Whips should get into consultation about them. We can give an indication of the measures which we see as likely to arise and which are important to get through. I suggested yesterday that this should be done through the Whips in the ordinary way.
: Is the Taoiseach talking about measures which have not yet been processed through the Government machinery? Is he talking about measures that yet have to be put to the Government and subsequently drafted by the parliamentary draftsman? If that is so, what in heavens name have the Government and the bunch of Ministers been doing for the last four months?
: Some measures have been approved by the Government and others have yet to come to the Government. They are ones which we are more than happy to discuss with the Whips, as I said. The last rhetorical question is one to which I think the answer should be fairly evident from the amount of activity which has taken place and the problems we have had to resolve in the wake of what the previous Government left behind them.
: If they stayed in the country for a while we might have more legislation to deal with.
: Arising out of the information given to the House yesterday by the Taoiseach that he intends to appoint an electoral commission in the near future, could he inform the House if this electoral commission will be established under the existing Act of the Oireachtas or whether he intends to introduce a new Bill changing the terms of reference and the composition of the proposed electoral commission?
: Details of the provisions will be brought forward next week.
: Can the Taoiseach now let us have the Irish version of the Government's wording of the Eighth Amendment? The leaked documents seem to indicate that there is some difficulty in relation to that area. Perhaps the Taoiseach could clarify the position for us now. Will we have it in time for the weekend so that we can study it for next week?
: I hope so.
: We will have it by the weekend?
: Yes.
: Which version?
: I should like to ask the Taoiseach what action the Government propose to take to reverse the European Commission's proposal to curtail mackerel fishing in Ireland by 30 per cent which would have disastrous effects on the industry.
: That is not a matter for the Order of Business.
: It might not but it is an important matter and I am sure the Taoiseach or the Minister for Fisheries would like to answer it.
: The Deputy is out of order.
: I am pleading on behalf of the fishing industry. The Government do not seem to be interested in anything.
: Will the Taoiseach give an indication of when it is proposed to introduce legislation arising from the Law Reform Commission's report yesterday on the age of majority?
: The question is a little premature at this stage. The Government have not met since yesterday.
: A statement in today's newspaper says that the Government welcomed it.
: It is a matter on which we will be anxious to have legislation as soon as possible. We have not had time to consider it yet, as the Deputy will understand.
: There were serious matters in the document and the newspapers say that the Government welcomed the report.
: I wish to raise on the Adjournment the continued practice in the courts of sentencing people to jail for non-payment of private debts particularly in relation to ground rents.
: I will communicate with the Deputy.
: I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the purchase of land in County Leitrim by private companies for afforestation. This is a matter of grave concern to many small farmers.
: I wish to raise on the Adjournment the failure of the Minister for Finance and the Office of Public Works to dredge Ballycotton Harbour, County Cork, thereby preventing the provision of a new lifeboat and endangering the existence of the present one, which covers an area from the Old Head of Kinsale to Minehead, County Waterford.
: The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
: I wish to raise on the Adjournment the failure of the Government to provide funds to Dublin County Council for the completion of the Southern Cross route.
: I wish to raise on the Adjournment the failure of the Minister for Agriculture to bring about realistic farm price increases and the loss involved.
: The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
: I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the future of the five rural home economics colleges in the country. I raised this question during the last session and it was not taken, so perhaps it will be taken now.
: The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
: I should like to ask the Taoiseach when he proposes introducing legislation to prevent third country boats from using the flag of convenience. The Taoiseach answered this question before.
: This is not in order.
: It is on the Order of Business in relation to pending legislation. The Taoiseach set a precedent some weeks ago when he answered that specific question.
: If the Taoiseach wishes to answer he may do so.
: A House divided against itself cannot stand.
: Within the next three weeks.
: I should like to raise on the adjournment——
: We will have a busy adjournment.
: I consider my question to be the most urgent. It is about the withdrawal of school transport facilities from two handicapped children in my constituency a month ago.
: The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
: Will the Taoiseach indicate whether he intends to bring forward legislation for the establishment of rent tribunals?
: Yes, I do.
: In this session? The Taoiseach knows what is going on in the courts at present.