It is proposed to take Nos. 2, 11 and 12. By agreement if the proceedings on No. 11 are not previously concluded they shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 1.30 p.m. Also by agreement the Dáil shall meet at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow morning and shall adjourn not later than 4 p.m. and business shall be confined to Estimates for the Public Service.
Order of Business.
May I ask in regard to item No. 11 if it is desired that the Minister should get in to conclude at any time?
We have no arrangement but we have no objection. The normal procedure is that the Minister will get a quarter of an hour unless he looks for further time.
Are the proceedings as outlined for today's business and tomorrow's business agreed with the addition that on item No. 11 today the Minister shall be called upon to conclude at 1.15 p.m.?
May I ask the Taoiseach if he will consider allowing Government time for a discussion on the growing problem of emigration and the effects it is having on young people? I think we should discuss this matter.
Perhaps as a preliminary the Deputy would have a discussion with the Whips.
I should like to thank the Taoiseach for sending me notice about impending legislation on company law. Could the Taoiseach say if it is proposed to introduce domestic company law legislation on limited liability in this session? He sent me details about other company law.
Not in this session.
Could the Taoiseach give us any idea when it is intended to take item No. 6 on the Order of Business which the Minister for the Environment has had down for a couple of months? It deals with the Convention for the Prevention of Maritime Pollution from Land Based Sources.
I cannot give a date at the moment but I will communicate with the Deputy.
In reply to Deputy Flynn the Taoiseach said the limited liability aspect of company law will not be introduced in the House in this session. When is it intended to do that? It has been signalled for 12 months that we would have that legislation. During the debate on the Finance Bill the Minister for Finance indicated that it would be coming through very quickly because of the distortions and problems that arise in liquidations. Could he give us any idea when we will see that long-promised legislation which is very urgently needed?
This legislation is extremely complex and it will not be possible to have it ready before the end of this session, ending as it will in the ordinary way, but it would of course be available in the autumn session.
It is more than 12 months since it was promised "very soon" and the scandal of companies——
The Deputy will have to understand that even the leader of his party cannot initiate discussion on this matter.
Will the Government make a statement confirming the statement by the Minister for Communications yesterday that he proposed to support the reduction of VAT on newspapers?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
It does. I am asking if there will be an amendment to the Finance Bill to allow for the proposal of the Minister for Communications to reduce VAT on newspapers. That is a fair question.
The Deputy should have read the paper properly and quoted what was said.
I was present at the launching but the Taoiseach was not. I heard the Minister for Communications correctly.
Will the Taoiseach tell the House if it is intended to introduce legislation in this session to increase the State equity in Irish Steel and if the rumours freely circulating in Cork that a decision has been taken to close the plant on July 14 has any validity?
Why did the Deputy not say June 14? It would have sounded better.
The rumours the Deputy may wish to spread are his own affair. I certainly have no knowledge of any such rumours.
I heard it in Cork.
Will the Deputy repeat the first part of his question because he went off on a tangent.
I was asking the Taoiseach if he intended to introduce legislation to increase the State equity in Irish Steel.
I could not answer that question at the moment. I will communicate with the Deputy in due course. It would be a great help if Deputies who want information gave a few minutes notice and I could give that information. It would make the work of the Dáil much better rather than asking questions in respect of a large number of Bills and expecting an immediate answer. I am more than happy to help Deputies and it would be much better if I could give answers to the House available to all Deputies instead of having to come back and inform the Deputy in question.
I should like to remind the Taoiseach that this is not a new departure. When we were on the Government side such questions flew every morning. The Taoiseach should be aware, as a member of the Government, if there is any proposal to increase the State equity in Irish Steel. Surely the Government have provided for this in the budget and the Taoiseach should have some idea as to whether the Government are going to take an increase in State equity in Irish Steel or not.
I will not allow a discussion on the rights or wrongs of this.
The rumours did not emanate from me but from the people in Irish Steel.
I am calling Deputy Lyons. Deputy Reynolds is out of order.
The Chair amazes me every time I try to ask a decent question. When the Chair was a Member on this side of the House he asked such questions time and again. The Chair knows well that when Government Deputies were in Opposition they threw questions morning after morning on the order of business and expected answers. My question is a legitimate one. Will legislation be introduced? That arises on the Order of Business. Does the Taoiseach know what is going on in the Government at all?
Deputy Reynolds is being grossly disorderly.
It will be coming before the Government shortly. As regards the date, that is a matter on which I could make an estimate if I had an opportunity to do so. The matter will be coming before the Government in the near future.
Will the Taoiseach give us his best estimate.
In view of the urgency and seriousness of the matter, and despite the ruling out of order of my Private Notice Question yesterday——
The Deputy should cut out the preamble and get on with his question.
——I should like to encourage the Minister for Health to see to it that the problem developing at the Cork Regional Hospital is solved in the best interests of the people of the area, particularly the out-patients who attend the clinics there. This is a serious matter.
The Deputy should read the book on Standing Orders.
I disagree with the ruling yesterday, that this was not a matter of urgency.
I appeal to Deputy Lyons to conform.
Will any action be taken by the Minister for Health on the position in the Cork Regional Hospital? That is not a difficult question for the Minister to answer.
I do not wish to have any rows or squabbles with the Deputy but he is out of order.
The Minister is present and he should answer my question which is not an awkward one.
The Deputy should resume his seat.
Is the Taoiseach aware, in regard to No. 6, that unless we ratify that Convention we will not be able to vote at the Paris Commission in Oslo on June 20? Will the Taoiseach arrange to have this motion dealt with by the House before then? It could be cleared pretty quickly.
The Deputy cannot make a speech on this matter.
The matter could be raised between the Whips.
In view of the concern that has arisen following the "Today Tonight" programme on RTE 1 last night——
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
——I would like to have an opportunity for our party leader, or our appropriate spokesman, to discuss the matter with the Taoiseach to see how the House can properly handle what is a matter of serious concern as disclosed last night.
We know it is embarrassing, a Cheann Comhairle, but it is of concern to the people in the country.
If there is any innuendo in that statement the Deputy had better withdraw it because I will not tolerate it. I will not tolerate that type of abuse.
I am asking if it will be possible to arrange for an appropriate discussion, party leader to party leader or Minister for Justice with our appropriate spokesman, on this matter which is of serious concern. We may have to raise the matter in the Dáil in a fuller way.
I appreciate that the Deputy is standing in for the leader of his party and I am making allowances for that.
I do not need that. I ask the Chair to withdraw that remark. I do not need that type of assistance.
This matter does not arise on the Order of Business.
Whether the Chair makes any allowances or not, the most important consideration is to ensure that the Government and Opposition have an opportunity of considering this serious matter.
It does not have to be raised in the House. It is not in order.
It would be very strange if when all the people are concerned about what they heard last night if we did not ask the Government how we should discuss this matter.
(Interruptions).
The Deputy is being disorderly.
On the general heading of order might I suggest that the Order of Business for a particular day be taken at the close of business the previous day?
That is not in order.
This pantomime is laid on for the benefit of the press who are here at the beginning of the day in large numbers, fresh and alert.
Deputy Kelly is welcome back from his far away travels. We have not seen him around for a long time.
(Interruptions.)
Will the Tánaiste meet the Deputies and Senators from Galway and Roscommon today to discuss the building of the briquette factory at Ballyforan?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
It was postponed from last Tuesday.
Is it the intention of the Taoiseach to make available a copy of the recent report of the task force to Cork Deputies.
That is a reasonable request.
We have announced decisions in respect of the recommendations. It is not intended to publish the task force document.
Is the Taoiseach aware that a number of parties outside of the House are interested in getting a copy of the full text of that submission?
I allowed the question but I will not allow that to lead to another. The question was asked and answered. The Deputy may table a question about this matter if he wishes.
We announced our decisions in respect of the recommendations of the task force and they are available for discussion and debate. The question of the particular advice put forward is not a matter for debate but the Government decisions are. We are responsible for the decisions we make.
(Limerick West): I should like to ask the Taoiseach if the Government are likely to publish a plan for agricultural development.
After the other plan, whenever that comes.
To which document is the Deputy referring? I want to be clear about this. There is a report of a study group and, perhaps, that is what the Deputy is talking about.
(Limerick West): Some months ago the Government were presented with the report of a study group.
In a matter of weeks.
The only Member of the Opposition Front Bench who has not had a go so far is Deputy Brendan Daly, so you should let him in so that we can get on with the business.
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Kelly did not sign the Forum Report.
I am calling the next business.
On the Order of Business let me ask the Taoiseach if the Minister for Fisheries has anything to say about the dispute in the fisheries sector at present which is causing almost a total collapse in inland fisheries.
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
No action has been taken——
(Interruptions.)
I appeal to the House not to reduce the Order of Business to a farce.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
May I ask a question.
If it is in order.
I will leave that to you. Arising out of Deputy Kitt's request, I ask the Minister for Energy if he will meet the Deputies and Senators from Roscommon today. You may not be aware——
I have pointed out that it is not in order. Please resume your seat.
Let me first——
I will not. Please resume your seat.
We are delighted to see him back fully fit.
I will have to ask the Deputy to leave the House if he does not resume his seat.