Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 17 Dec 1985

Vol. 362 No. 13

Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take Nos. 14, 25, 4 and 15. By agreement, the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and not later than 11 p.m. and business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m.

Also by agreement, the following arrangements shall apply today: (1) The proceedings on item No. 14 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 5.15 p.m.; (2) the proceedings on the remaining Stages of item No. 25 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 6 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments put down by the Minister for Justice; (3) the debate on the Second Stage of item No. 4 will be adjourned at 7 p.m. and shall not be resumed today; (4) the proceedings on item No. 15 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 10.30 p.m. Also by agreement, Private Members' Business shall be No. 107 and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 8.30 p.m.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for today's business agreed to? Agreed.

Mr. Haughey

May I ask the Taoiseach about the position with regard to the Book of Estimates? I understand that he has already indicated that it will be available on Thursday of this week. May I point out to him that we shall start the last major debate prior to the budget tomorrow after questions? Would it be possible that the Book of Estimates might be available for Deputies going into that debate? I am sure that the Taoiseach will realise that Deputies will be at a considerable disadvantage if the Book of Estimates is not available. May I also ask in that connection when it is intended to take the budget for 1986?

The Taoiseach

With regard to the first part of the Deputy's question, the Book of Estimates will be available tomorrow morning to Deputies in advance of the debate. The second part of the Deputy's question is one which is normally dealt with in the course of the Adjournment Debate, when I shall be indicating the date of the budget.

Tomás Mac Giolla

Would the Taoiseach indicate under what circumstances the Order of Business was changed — in other words, can he tell us at what precise moment Fianna Fáil did a U-turn?

Mr. Wilson

That is unfair.

Tomás Mac Giolla

The agreed Order of Business was altered.

Mr. Wilson

Deputy Mac Giolla should have been at our parliamentary party meeting. I do not know of U-turns.

An Ceann Comhairle

I call Deputy Vincent Brady.

Mr. Dukes

Just at the psychological moment.

Mr. V. Brady

I intend to submit a Private Notice Question this evening in relation to the Dublin city bus service and to ask the Minister for Communications if he will at this late stage take some steps to mediate or to try to settle the bus dispute which is causing serious hardship and, above all, creating major disruption of city trading?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy did put in the question as stated. It was considered and had to be ruled out of order and he was informed and given the reasons.

Mr. V. Brady

The Ceann Comhairle indicated that the ruling had been made on this last week. I am tabling the question today because of the very serious losses now taking place in city trade.

An Ceann Comhairle

I cannot allow that.

Mr. V. Brady

Obviously, it will result in the loss of very many jobs. Surely the Minister should feel some responsibility and try to do something about the situation.

An Ceann Comhairle

It can be raised on the debate tomorrow.

Mr. Wilson

On the Order of Business, would the Taoiseach or the Minister for Communications let us know the position in regard to an advertisement which appeared today in the daily newspapers with regard to the sale of the Irish Continental Line, as I had a question down to you, Ceann Comhairle, and have a letter from you refusing the question on the basis — and I am not challenging it——

An Ceann Comhairle

You cannot make a speech about it.

Mr. Wilson

——on the basis that the matter is one for the liquidator. There is a "For sale" notice with regard to Irish Continental Line, asking those interested to apply to Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland Finance.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy knows perfectly well——

Mr. Wilson

If you ruled on the basis that this matter was for the liquidator, why is the liquidator not selling Irish Continental Line? What kind of crazy situation have we reached in this House with regard to what is State property?

Deputies

Hear, hear.

An Ceann Comhairle

There is nothing crazy as far as the Chair's ruling is concerned. That matter does not arise on the Order of Business, Deputy. I am sorry.

Mr. Wilson

I should like a direction from the Chair as to when the people's interest in Irish Continental Line can be raised in this House.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy can raise it tomorrow in the Adjournment Debate.

Mr. Wilson

I want to raise, also, on the Adjournment, no matter what time it will be, the matter of the Sealink dispute which will remove all travelling, freight and passenger, from the Irish Sea.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with Deputy Wilson.

Mr. D. Gallagher

May I ask the Taoiseach how it has come about that a draft report of a committee of this House sitting on State-sponsored bodies has become available to RTE and was a matter of public debate, when it was not available to Members of this House?

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, that is not in order. I ask Deputies to co-operate with the Chair.

Mr. D. Gallagher

This is a serious matter which cannot go unanswered.

An Ceann Comhairle

It cannot be answered now, at any rate.

Mr. Lenihan

It undermines the system.

An Ceann Comhairle

It does not arise on the Order of Business.

Mr. Molloy

On the matter raised——

An Ceann Comhairle

Is this another matter?

Mr. Molloy

It is a matter concerning the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I wish to seek the Chair's guidance on this matter. I understand that the documents of the House had the protection of the House until published by the House and that no other person or authority was permitted to publish documents——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy cannot raise the matter in an ad hoc manner like this. It does not make sense. If the Deputy wants to discuss the matter with the Chair, he can come to my office and talk about it.

Mr. Molloy

I wanted to let the Chair know that I intend to have this matter raised.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is not necessary.

Mr. D. Gallagher

It is desirable.

An Ceann Comhairle

It is not desirable, or necessary.

Mr. Molloy

Are the rules of this House, in using a purported report of an Oireachtas committee in the manner in which it was used——

An Ceann Comhairle

Please co-operate.

Mr. D. Gallagher

It is only a draft.

Mr. Molloy

I would expect the Chair would express concern about this matter——

Deputies

Hear, hear.

Mr. Molloy

——and not leave it to the Opposition. The Chair is obliged to protect this House and its documents.

An Ceann Comhairle

If that is meant to be a charge against the Chair, the Deputy should withdraw it.

Mr. Molloy

I am making no charge.

An Ceann Comhairle

It sounds particularly like one.

Mr. Molloy

I am reminding the Chair of his duties. May I request that some investigation be carried out by the Taoiseach and the Ceann Comhairle in relation to this matter and that we have a report in this House?

(Interruptions.)

Miss Flaherty

I wish to raise on the Adjournment a problem which has emerged in recent weeks in the North Cumberland Street employment exchange, affecting largely single younger women who are being refused unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance on the grounds that they have not indicated sufficient attempts to find employment. In particular——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy may not make a speech.

Miss Flaherty

It is not a speech. I refer specifically to a group of 200 seasonal workers laid off in Gateaux in Finglas, as they have been each year, and who have been treated in the same fashion.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Lyons

I wish to raise the subject of the Private Notice Question which I presented to the Chair concerning the use by the Minister for Labour of his good offices to settle the dispute in the ESB in Cork. The Chair ruled that the matter was not urgent. I now ask that the Minister should use his good offices to solve that strike. I wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. J. Leonard

The Minister for Health has indicated that he proposes to bring in new legislation as early as possible next year following a Supreme Court decision. I ask him to restrain sections of his Department from issuing political statements and pre-empting the debate, as was done yesterday on RTE.

An Ceann Comhairle

That does not arise on the Order of Business.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the serious threat to the beef intervention system. This is my third time to raise this important national question.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Tomás Mac Giolla

I always try to be in order.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is usually in order. Sometimes he is a little too long.

Tomás Mac Giolla

The Minister for Justice promised amending legislation on the Gaming and Lotteries Act. When does he intend to bring forward this amending legislation?

Minister for Justice (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): Next session.

Mr. P. Gallagher

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the matter of Gaeltacht authorisation grants.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.