It is proposed to take item No. 9. By agreement the Dáil will sit later then 9 p.m. today and the hour at which business is to be interrupted will be 10.30 p.m. Private Members' Business will be No. 19.
Order of Business.
Are the arrangements for the timing of today's sitting agreed?
Agreed.
Might I ask the Taoiseach when it is proposed to introduce legislation in respect of the free port and industrial estate at Ringaskiddy, County Cork?
I could not give the Deputy a date at present. I will come back to him on that. That has not come to Government at this stage.
The Taoiseach understands the urgency of the matter and I am quite sure there need be no difficulty about it. May I just assure the Taoiseach that we would wish to co-operate fully in having that legislation put through the House as expeditiously as possible.
In view of the potentially very serious situation in County Cork where the fire brigade service is not in operation at present might I ask the Taoiseach——
Is the Deputy applying for permission to raise it on the Adjournment?
Would the Taoiseach request the Minister for the Environment to intervene in the dispute?
I am sorry, Deputy, it cannot be raised in that manner.
Might I raise it on the Adjournment?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Would the Taoiseach indicate when the proposed family planning legislation will be introduced?
I could not give the Deputy a date at present.
The Minister for Health, both in this House and outside it, has on a number of occasions indicated that it would be with us before the summer recess.
The Deputy cannot raise it by way of a speech or comment. He can ask when it will be introduced——
Is the Taoiseach saying that it will not be introduced before the summer?
The Minister for Health makes his own laws.
He has a long way to go to catch up on Deputy Haughey.
When does the Taoiseach intend to introduce the Bill on the mutualisation of the building societies?
I could not give a date at the moment. I will communicate with the Deputy.
The Taoiseach is a mine of information this morning.
If Deputies want information, if they give notice in advance, they will get it. If they do not want it this is the way not to get it.
Will that legislation be introduced in the course of this session?
It is hoped to introduce it before the summer recess.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I should like to raise the issue of the 70 redundancies at the Albatros plant in New Ross, which is probably an indication of the first effects of the bad deal on the milk levy.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy Byrne.
May I ask the Taoiseach when we may expect the proposed company law reform which we understand was fairly well advanced last autumn? When is it likely it will come before the House?
I could not give the Deputy a date at present.
Might I ask the Taoiseach if the Minister for the Environment would provide immediately to the House information requested in a parliamentary question of 10 May, which was also requested approximately six weeks ago, and which is not yet forthcoming because we are informed that the information must be compiled? Might I also ask the Minister for the Environment if he is aware——
This is not an instant Question Time, as the Deputy should know.
If we cannot get replies to simple questions because of what appears to be chaos within the group water scheme section of the Department of the Environment——
The Deputy can put down a question or seek to raise it on the Adjournment.
I have put down questions on two occasions when I have been told that simple information about a small number of schemes is being compiled. Would the Minister bring this information to the House immediately because clearly there is chaos within the group water scheme section of his Department and senior officials appear not to be able to take basic decisions on approval of schemes. It is a matter about which the House should be very concerned.
I have given the Deputy some latitude; he is out of order. I am sure the Minister will bear in mind what he has said.