Riar na hOibre, Order of Business. The Taoiseach.
Order of Business.
A Cheann Comhairle——
I have called the Order of Business.
A Cheann Comhairle——
On a point of order, are we resuming on the Priority Questions?
No, Deputy we are not.
If I could pursue that point of order——
The Deputy must be well aware that owing to grave disorder in the House I had to terminate Question Time for today. I have nothing further to add. I now call Deputy De Rossa.
Last week the Chair had a different way of dealing with grave disorder. I am being deprived of my democratic rights as spokesperson for the Marine.
The Deputy knows full well why her question was not arrived at.
I did not contribute to the disorder, nor did my colleagues.
I have been notified that my Private Notice Question has been agreed to.
I am sorry Deputy, questions have been terminated for today. The Deputy's question will come up tomorrow.
I assume that Private Notice Questions are allowed on the basis that they are urgent and this matter is urgent.
I have called the Order of Business and I hope the Deputy will accept that.
It is proposed to take Nos. 5, 10, 11 to 22, inclusive, and 33. It is also proposed that No. 10 shall be taken without debate. It is further proposed that Nos. 11 to 22, inclusive, shall be taken without debate and shall be decided by one question. Private Members' Business shall be No. 8.
Is the proposal that No. 10 be taken without debate agreed? Agreed.
Proinsias De Rossa rose.
Is the Deputy indicating dissent to my proposal?
Is it agreed that Nos. 11 to 22, inclusive, shall be taken without debate and be decided upon by one question? Agreed.
In view of the frequency of abductions of Irish aid personnel, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the recent kidnapping in Ethiopia by rebel forces of nurse Fiona Quinn of Kildare and nurse Mary Coen of Galway.
I will communicate with the Deputy in respect of that matter.
A Cheann Comhairle, a matter arose today which has a connection with disagreements we had in the House last week. I had a question down to the Taoiseach today, part of which you ruled out of order on the basis that the matter is sub judice. I am not disputing your interpretation of precedent but it seems that again that matter indicates that we need to look again at how we approach that rule. You allowed me — and I am very grateful to you for having given me the opportunity — to ask a question of the Taoiseach about the very same Anglo-Irish Agreement, but because it happened to have a connection with a different aspect of the agreement you, a Cheann Comhairle, were apparently able to decide that it was not sub judice. I submit that that puts this House in an absolutely unendurable position, where not only do we have to tailor our questions to get the answers we need, and we all do it——
Sorry Deputy Dukes——
——but we have to tailor our questions to suit the courts and institutions outside this House.
I made a statement on that subject matter concerning the sub judice rule on Thursday last and I understand that a meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges tomorrow will deal with the matter.
I would urge on you, a Cheann Comhairle, in your capacity as Chairman of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, to bear very much in mind the anger and frustration felt in this House on the application of that precedent.
We will convene a meeting at a very early date with which I think the House would be in agreement.
May I raise as a point of order in respect of the Private Notice Question I tabled this morning — which it was agreed would be accepted here today following Question Time — that my understanding is that Private Notice Questions follow normal Question Time at 3.45 p.m.? I would appeal to you, a Cheann Comhairle, to allow the question to be taken now. It relates to a matter which is urgent, concerning the two Irish nurses who have been abducted in Ethiopia. The Minister is present with his reply and I would appeal to you to allow the question to go ahead.
I can assure the Deputy that his Private Notice Question would have been dealt with today were it not for the grave disorder which prevailed in the House which necessitated my suspending the sitting for a short time.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I should like to raise on the Adjournment this evening the need for the establishment of a harbour authority in Dun Laoghaire.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
With your permission, I wish to raise on the Adjournment with the Minister for the Environment the withholding by Wicklow County Council and other local authorities of grants due to full-time students toward the cost of their education because of the non-payment of service charges by their parents or guardians, claiming that Circular BC4/88 of the Department of the Environment affords them the opportunity to take such action.
The Deputy may not elaborate on the matter at this stage. I will communicate with him.
I wish to seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the termination by the Eastern Health Board of the eastern community work scheme under whose provisions FÁS and the Eastern Health Board improve local authority houses. The provisions of the scheme have been terminated in Counties Wicklow and Kildare and are now being confined to Dublin only.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to seek your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to raise on the Adjournment the subject of my Private Notice Question today.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
May I inquire of the Taoiseach, on the Order of Business, whether he has come to a conclusive decision in relation to the establishment of an Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs?
No, I have nothing further to report to the Deputy at this stage.
Perhaps it could be brought up at the United Nations which might help.
On a point of order, I should say that on Wednesday last, before 11 a.m., I tabled a question for written reply to the Minister for the Environment which should have been answered today. There has been no earlier question today on the same subject. Could you explain to me, Sir, therefore, why that question has not been answered?
I am sorry, Deputy, I have no intention of making any explanation in relation to that matter.
I gave notice to your office.
The officials of my office communicated with the Deputy and explained the reason at some length.
No, Sir, they did not explain; they talked but did not explain.
I must insist, Deputy Mitchell, that in future the staff of my office be treated with courtesy when the Deputy approaches them.
Deputies
Oh, oh.
(Interruptions.)
I am concerned about the Deputy's approach to such matters in my office.
I want to ask——
I am sorry, Deputy, I will not allow you to pursue that matter.
May I have your permission to raise it on the Adjournment?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
May I raise on the Adjournment this evening, with your permission, the Government decision to lease the inner and outer coal harbours of Dun Laoghaire to two private individuals without going to public tender, following a private meeting between the Taoiseach and these individuals who subsequently set up a company?
The Deputy may not engage in innuendo in relation to this matter.
The most reputable persons. The Deputy is a total hypocrite and is being destructive.
Is the Deputy about to create further disorder?
No, a Cheann Comhairle, I am just telling the truth.
(Interruptions.)
He is the Deputy who said private investment constituted the only way.
Bill Harvey should be brought in, he will tell the House.
(Interruptions.)
I am calling Deputy Quinn.
May I ask the Taoiseach when it is proposed to announce details of the establishment of the national roads authority, as promised, and when the legislation necessary to give effect to the operations of that authority will be circulated?
Has legislation been promised?
An announcement about these matters will be made as soon as possible.
May I inquire if it is in order for the word "hypocrite" to be attributed to my colleague in this House?
As there was quite some disorder prevailing at the time I did not hear the expression.
(Interruptions.)
Would Deputy Keating, please, now move the motion in relation in Item No. 8 in relation to Private Members' time.
(Limerick East): I wish to give you notice, a Cheann Comhairle, that I intend to raise on the Adjournment the recent decision of the Labour Court indicating that it was not within the terms of the Programme for National Recovery to have local authority services performed by private interests.
I will communicate with the Deputy.