It is proposed to take Items Nos. 1 and 3.
Order of Business.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach, in view of the statements which have been made in the press about his, the Tánaiste's and Minister for Foreign Affairs reaction to the aftermath of the summit and in particular to the press conference which took place after the recent summit in Chequers, if he will now avail of an early opportunity to come to the House and correct the totally misleading impression which he gave to the House about these matters in his statement on Tuesday?
That is a matter for the Whips.
Perhaps it is, but if we get agreement in principle from the Taoiseach the Whips can arrange the details. I suggest to the Chair that this matter is of such serious national and international importance that it cannot be allowed to rest in its present state. The Taoiseach has lied to the House and misled the House.
It is a serious contradiction.
Try to stir it up.
The Deputy should withdraw the word "lie".
For parliamentary reasons I withdraw the word.
On a point of order——
Sit down.
Is it in order——
(Interruptions.)
Is it in order for Deputies to get up here each day and use the word "lie" and each day to withdraw it?
When lies are told, yes.
Does the Chair agree with that?
(Interruptions.)
Will the Chair deal with that?
The word "lie" is the most obvious unparliamentary expression that could be used in the House. It has never been tolerated and I ask Deputy Haughey to withdraw it without qualification.
It has been tolerated on numerous occasions and I have been the victim of that expression.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
In deference to the Chair's ruling on this matter, I withdraw, in a parliamentary sense, my phrase that the Taoiseach has lied to the House but I reiterate——
That is the second time in one minute.
I am taking the Deputy as having withdrawn that.
Purely in a parliamentary sense. I reiterate that this statement, a copy of which I have in my hand, which the Taoiseach gave to this House——
Order, please. The Deputy asked the Taoiseach a question.
The Taoiseach misled the House and the nation.
I must maintain order. I cannot allow an impromptu discussion to take place in this way. Deputy Haughey asked a question about parliamentary time. That is a matter for the Whips and it should be dealt with in that way.
I suggest that the details of any discussion are a matter for the Whips but I am asking the Taoiseach if he is now prepared to avail of some opportunity or if he will give the House an opportunity to debate the totally false and misleading impression which he gave to the House on Tuesday.
If the Deputy stops at that I will allow it.
I am not prepared to respond to any request couched in those terms——
Deputies
Hear, hear.
——and using the word "lie" twice with a purported withdrawal afterwards.
The Deputy is like Margaret Thatcher.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of order, will the Leader of the Opposition refrain from making political footballs out of serious issues?
Deputies
Sit down.
That is not a point of order.
There are people suffering up there and the Opposition are turning it into a political football.
(Interruptions.)
We have reached a new stage in the House if we are not to have a political discussion.
I allowed Deputy Haughey to ask a question and the Taoiseach answered it.
I appreciate that.
I suggest the matter be left at that and be taken up in some other way at some other time, if necessary.
This is not a trivial matter nor is it a normal one. It is a matter with the most far reaching and fundamental implications.
I cannot allow such a discussion on the Order of Business.
I suggest that every precedent of this Parliament demands that the Taoiseach should come into this House——
The Deputy is making a political football of it.
——and retract this misleading, lying document or else resign.
Deputies
Out, out.
You are on the run.
What procedure does the Chair propose to adopt in respect of the repeated use of the word "lie", the repeated false withdrawal and the repeated re-use of it? Will the Chair take action against a Deputy who behaves in that manner or not?
(Interruptions.)
Order, please. The word "lie" has been withdrawn and I did not hear it used since.
He said a lying statement.
I want to point to you, a Cheann Comhairle, that in my speech here on Tuesday, when I indicated that the Taoiseach had lied to the House on the question of alienation, you, Sir, compelled me in the interest of parliamentary procedure to withdraw the word "lie" in that connection. It now appears from everything that has emerged from what I said on that occasion was totally correct.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
The Taoiseach heard it yesterday from his own party.
That is the fourth use of the word "lie".
(Interruptions.)
Order. I want to make it perfectly clear that, since I came into this House many years ago, the word "lie" was never tolerated by the Chair. I am ruling that it is unparliamentary.
The Taoiseach told us lies.
Deputy O'Keeffe must withdraw that.
I am telling the truth.
I will not have any argument. Either you withdraw that or you leave the House.
The Taoiseach misled the nation since he took office. He sold out the national people. That is the Taoiseach we have.
I am asking Deputy O'Keeffe to withdraw the statement that the Taoiseach told lies. He must withdraw it.
With the greatest reluctance I withdraw that statement.
The Deputy should have said the statement was a terminological inexactitude.
In view of the many promises and commitments given would the Government tell us what they propose to do about the provision of a ferry service from Cork to Swansea?
It does not arise on the Order of Business.
It was promised and promised.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to raise on the Adjournment the position with regard to the submission to the EC for an extension of the severely handicapped areas.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Can the Taoiseach indicate when the statement concerning local government reform which was promised for this week will be made? A statement was made by the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment two weeks ago in the House to the effect that a statement would be made by the Government this week concerning local government reform.
I cannot hear the Deputy because of the noise.
A statement concerning local government reform.
A statement will be made about it in the near future when the Government have given further consideration to the question.
Does the Minister for the Environment intend to introduce legislation to curb the dangerous level of lead pollution in Dublin?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
May I raise it on the Adjournment?
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Could I ask the Taoiseach what steps it is proposed to take to ensure that thousands of jobs are not lost in the fishing industry due to the fact that the Government have not accepted the BIM rescue package?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
You allowed the question on the Adjournment the other night that affected one job. It is difficult to understand.