It is proposed to take No. 6 at 8.30 p.m. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m. It is further proposed that Private Members' Business — the Report Stage of No. 24 — shall be taken between now and 8.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal to take No. 6 at 8.30 p.m. agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for the late sitting today agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with the Report Stage of No. 24 agreed? Agreed.
The Child Care Bill is to be taken tonight from 8.30 p.m. until 10.30 p.m. Could the Minister for Finance indicate when it is proposed to move to the Committee Stage of this Bill and if it is proposed to complete the Bill before the session ends?
That will be a matter for the Whips. I am sure it will be their ambition to do so.
Do the Government propose to be represented at a meeting of the committee on the disbursement of the lottery funds, which I understand has been fixed for tomorrow at 11 a.m., and if so, by whom?
This is hardly in order now.
I also wish to inquire as to the terms of reference of the Committee.
I should like to facilitate Deputy O'Malley but he is raising this matter at the wrong time. There are other ways and means of dealing with the matter.
It arises directly out of the Bill which my party had before the House last week.
That may be so.
Will Deputy O'Malley be represented?
Could we know whether the Government are to be represented on the committee?
That is not a matter for the Order of Business.
They seem very reticent.
We will be responding favourably to the sensible approach of the Leader of the Labour Party.
Arising out of the joint statements by the Minister for Industry and Commerce and the Minister for Social Welfare regarding moneylending, in anticipation of the Combat Poverty Agency report which was initiated after my amendment to the Social Welfare Bill, would the Minister for Finance agree to a debate in the House this week on the moneylending issue?
The Deputy should raise that in another way. It is primarily a matter for the Whips.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the marvellous development for the marina in Dún Laoghaire, as published today. I am most anxious that the matter should not be talked to death and should be got on with.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I again ask the Minister for Social Welfare whether he is willing to save a lot of time in this House by indicating whether he intends to make changes in the free fuel scheme. At this stage we have had weeks of complaints.
The Chair assumed that we had come to deal with the Order of Business before us today. That is precisely what he is doing now.
This is one of the coldest days of the year.
(Interruptions).
I afforded Deputies innumerable opportunities of raising matters with me. I then proceeded to the Order of Business before me and I find Members rising to raise other matters. This is not in order. I now propose to call the business before us.
On a point of order.
Very well.
With respect, Sir, I cannot stand while you are on your feet. On the Order of Business and in respect of legislation which is not just promised but which has been on the Order Paper for the last two years, may I ask the Minister for Finance if the Government are in a position to indicate when the Committee Stage of the Building Control Bill will be taken?
That is in order, but the Deputy might have done me the courtesy of raising this matter earlier.
I was endeavouring to do so.
Hopefully in this session.
On the Order of Business, would the Minister for Finance indicate when the Government propose to put before the House a Bill, as promised, to deal with the scandal of ministerial pensions for serving Members of this House?
(Interruptions.)
Is that not a charge, Sir? I earned my pension and I make no apologies for it. I do not want my pension withdrawn.
(Interruptions.)
I presume the Deputy is talking about the Oireachtas (Allowance to Members) Acts, 1938-83.
Yes.
They do not include anything to which the Deputy has referred; there is nothing scandalous included. These Acts include only what this House agreed as far back as 1938.
(Interruptions.)
This is not in order.
This is an outrageous charge.
I am calling Deputy Stagg.
He should not call it a scandal.
I apologise for not getting in earlier, but I am not responsible for the disorderly behaviour of others.
I will not tolerate it any other day.
On the Order of Business, I want to ask the Minister for Finance if it is the Government's intention to introduce a Bill in this term to implement the recommendations in the report of the Dáil Constituency Commission?
That has nothing to do with the Order of Business.
There is no legislation promised as yet.
In this House three weeks ago the Minister for the Environment specifically promised to bring in a Bill. There is promised legislation.
I am calling the next business — the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Bill, 1987.