It is proposed to take Items Nos. 8 and 9. By agreement there will be no Private Members' Business today and the interruption of business will take place at 7 p.m.
Order of Business.
Is the agreement for the taking of business today agreed?
I understand that the Taoiseach intends to make a statement at 5 o'clock.
I have been so notified.
Yes.
In that regard might I also ask——
Is there agreement on the taking of business today as read out? Agreed accordingly.
As the Taoiseach has agreed to make a statement on the EEC Summit at 5 o'clock might I ask him if he will also avail of an early opportunity to make a statement in the Dáil indicating the reasons the established legal procedures were not followed whereby charges would be preferred in the Irish courts against Dominick McGlinchey following his arrest last weekend in accordance with the due process of law for offences alleged to have been committed by him within the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland——
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
——and in respect of which a prima facie case clearly exists?
I am sorry, that does not arise on the Order of Business.
On a point of order, I do find it difficult to accept that the Leader of the Opposition should be allowed to put a question of that kind, making allegations, and that I am out of order if I attempt to answer it.
I am asking the Taoiseach to make a statement——
Order, please.
I am not allowed to make a statement.
I am allowing the Taoiseach to make a statement.
Order, please. The senior Members of the House particularly — if I may put it that way — know quite well what is in order and what is not. It would facilitate the Chair and the smooth running of business in the House if Deputies at times like this would observe the rules of Standing Orders. It is not in order to raise a serious matter like this in an impromptu way under the formula: when is time going to be provided for a statement to be made?
A Cheann Comhairle, you have just indicated to the House that the Taoiseach will be making a statement at 5 o'clock. Surely I am within my rights in asking if he will make a statement on this very important matter which is very much present to the minds of the general public at this time? I am merely asking the Taoiseach if he will give this House and the general public the advantage of outlining what exactly is the legal and constitutional position in this matter.
(Interruptions.)
I will allow the Taoiseach to answer that, but before coming to that I should like to put it on record that there is quite a difference between the statement which it is proposed be made at 5 o'clock, the difference being that, as far as the Chair knows, that was agreed on between the Whips and the Chair was given notice of it whereas the Chair has had no notice whatever of the matter raised by Deputy Haughey.
On a point of order——
If you will allow me make my point of order, would you agree, Sir, that the last statement of the Leader of the Opposition does not correctly represent what he said in his first statement which contained matter that was tendentious, incorrect and argumentative?
The Chair has not before him now a copy of the first statement. The first intervention by Deputy Haughey was somewhat longer than the second one.
In view of what you have just said, a Cheann Comhairle, may I ask you, and in view of the great public importance attaching to this matter, whether I can ask the Taoiseach if he will arrange for the Whips to meet so that an opportunity may be provided for a statement on these fundamentally important matters for Members of this House.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
As far as the Chair knows, the Whips are at perfect liberty to meet without getting the consent of anybody publicly in the House.
In regard to those kinds of tendentious remarks.
I thought it was a matter for the Whips. I also want to point out to you, a Cheann Comhairle, that you have misdirected yourself, or that you have been misinformed in saying that the House agreed to the Taoiseach making a statement at 5 o'clock this evening. That is not the position.
I assumed that the Whips had agreed.
That is not the position.
The second part of my statement is correct: that notice was given to the Chair in accordance with the relevant Standing Order that it was proposed to make such a statement at 5 o'clock.
I feel that this other matter is of sufficient grievous public importance to call for a simple statement by the Taoiseach in the House on the issues involved.
I presume the Whips can discuss that.
On the Order of Business, may I ask the Taoiseach, in view of the fact that I understand the Finance Bill is to be circulated tomorrow, if he will give the House an indication of when it is proposed to take the Second and each remaining Stage and if he will also indicate what is the final date on which the Bill must be passed so that we will be able to prepare for this very important Bill.
The Finance Bill will be circulated at the weekend and Deputies will receive it on Monday. We will ensure that the Leader of the Opposition and Finance spokesman receive copies on Friday afternoon.
With regard to the taking of the Bill in the House, that is a matter for arrangement between the Whips. I am most anxious that the maximum time be made available for discussion of the Committee and Report Stages of the Bill, without prejudice to the Second Stage which must also be discussed. I have asked the Government Chief Whip to consult the Chief Whip of the Fianna Fáil Party with a view to arranging the time between now and the final date in such a way as to maximise the time available for discussion.
We have already asked for that information. Leaving that aside, the Taoiseach will appreciate that it is very important to allow sufficient time after the Second Stage to consider amendments on Committee Stage, which constitutes the vitally important element of the Bill. Will the Taoiseach assure us that there will be sufficient time allowed between the Second Stage and Committee Stage and, equally, that we will have time to debate the Committee Stage in detail here? I have asked if the Taoiseach would indicate the final date by which the Bill must be passed. Perhaps he would now do so.
The Bill must be signed by 25 May. But with regard to the time between Stages, this is very much a matter for the Opposition. We will place ourselves in their hands in this respect. It is very important that this Bill be adequately debated. We have a problem with the date of the Easter Recess. Owing to the date of the Easter Recess there is a choice to be made — and it is a matter for the Opposition — between taking the Second Stage in the penultimate week before the Easter Recess and the Committee Stage the following week, which leaves rather little time, or, alternatively, holding over the Committee Stage until the resumption after Easter which would compress the Committee and Report Stages in this House, allowing for time in the Seanad, in a way that the whole might be undesirable. How this is best handled is a matter that we are more than willing to discuss with the Opposition and to take the Bill in the House in the way most suited to the Opposition's requirements.
We shall continue our discussions on that. I just want to place on record that the Opposition, through the Chief Whip, have already asked for these dates but so far we have not been given any indication. We will enter into these consultations on that basis.
Now that the Report of the Government appointed task force regarding the unemployment difficulties in Cork has been made available to the Minister concerned, may I ask the Taoiseach when we will be able to discuss that report in the House and when action will be taken arising from its availability?
An important aspect of the report was received yesterday and the Government has not yet had time to consider it and are not in a position to answer the Deputy's question.
Realising the urgency attempted or appeared to be attempted to appoint this task force, would the Taoiseach not agree that the position should be discussed by the Government this week and that we should have a discussion next week in the House?
The Government will take the earliest opportunity of considering this matter. The question of a discussion by the House is a matter we have not considered at all yet.
Could I ask the Taoiseach, through the Chair, what input we will have towards action being taken as a result of the task force report. Further may I ask the Taoiseach in view of the Cork situation and the commitments made by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign affairs and the Minister for Industry and Commerce——
The Deputy is now availing of asking a question to make a speech.
No, I do not want to make any speech. I want to put a question and I hope it is still in order to ask the Taoiseach a question. Obviously not.
The Deputy may ask a question in accordance with the rules.
Could I ask the Taoiseach who was in the United States last week——
Is this round two?
What?
Is this round two? Is this a separate subject?
It is but it is related to the same problem. I want to know did the Taoiseach when he was in the United States last week have any contact with the Ford management.
I am not going to allow another question, Deputy, without any notice. I am calling Item No. 8, Deputy Molloy.
(Dún Laoghaire): To keep the record straight, I have already discussed with the Opposition possible dates for the Second Stage of the Finance Bill.
(Interruptions.)
A Deputy
You look very miserable.
Personal remarks are not in order.
May I ask the Taoiseach if he will inform the House when it is likely the Government White Paper on housing will be published? This was promised 12 months ago, as the Taoiseach is aware.
I would require notice of that.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the decision by RTE to promote Euro candidates of the Fine Gael Party, particularly on the programme last night, Today Tonight, which promoted——
That is not in order.
Sorry, a Cheann Comhairle. Let me finish my point.
The Deputy is disorderly.
RTE is promoting Mary Banotti——
I will not allow a speech, Deputy.
And this is political interference in the Euro elections and it is about time the public should protest about the position with regard to the promotion of candidates by RTE.
Deputy Leyden should resume his seat.
(Interruptions.)
Order.