I wish to raise a matter of privilege. This week I tabled Dáil questions to the Taoiseach and his Ministers seeking information on the amount of money provided in 1988 and 1989 for press and information activities and public relations and to whom payable. I now have evidence that instructions were issued in the Taoiseach's Department, which were communicated to all Departments, that the reply would include only one total for each category and that no reference should be made to whom the money was payable. I regard this as a deliberate breach of parliamentary privilege and a deliberate attempt to conceal details——
Order of Business (Resumed).
The Deputy will have to find another way of dealing with this matter.
Could I have your guidance because it seems to be a deliberate breach of parliamentary privilege?
If the Deputy feels strongly about the matter he might refer it to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges but it may not be discussed now. There are many other ways and means of dealing with the matter.
May I ask for a special meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to discuss this issue?
We do not get answers to anything.
Is it the Government's intention to bring in a Supplementary Estimate for Foreign Affairs to provide for disaster relief for Bangladesh and Nicaragua? Do they think the miserly sum of £1,000 is adequate?
Clearly the matter should not be raised in this fashion.
On a point of order, you will be aware that I have sought, through the officers of this House, an assurance that the right of Members of the Oireachtas to unimpeded access from these Houses to the offices allocated to them in the vicinity of these Houses will be protected on the occasion of the debate on extradition on Tuesday next, if necessary through the implementation of the provisions of section 28 (1) of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, enacted in accordance with the provisions of Article 46.1 and 2 of the Constitution for the purposes of securing the objects set out in Article 15.10 of the Constitution. Can you tell me if the necessary guarantees of unimpeded access have been secured?
I share the Deputy's concern and that of many other Deputies in respect of security matters appertaining to entrances and exists from the Houses of the Oireachtas. As the House is aware, the appropriate authorities in the House of the Oireachtas have already been in touch with the Garda authorities in regard to this matter. A meeting has been arranged for tomorrow to discuss the problem and to enable the Garda to make the necessary arrangements. The primary responsibility for crowd control in the streets in the vicinity of Leinster House rests with the Garda authorities. I have instructed my officials to take a very strong line in this matter and see to it that the wishes of the Members are adhered to. I appreciate the anxieties of Members in the matter in general terms. I have conveyed the views of Members to the Garda Commissioner on a number of occasions, most recently on 12 September. In the present case I am conveying their strongly held views again to the commissioner. I hope the outcome will meet with the satisfaction of the Member and all concerned.
I would like to thank you for the action you have taken. I would be grateful if you would inform other affected Deputies and myself of the outcome of these discussions.
I support what has been said. You will recall that I brought this matter to your attention exactly one year ago. I also wrote to the Taoiseach at the time setting out in detail the problems that had arisen. On several occasions at that time and since some or all of the Progressive Democrats' Deputies have been denied access to this House for up to two hours at a time and that is extremely unsatisfactory. Apart from the denial of access, on other occasions when we have had access to the House there was obviously a security problem involved in trying to exercise that right of access. The Garda have indicated to me on several occasions that they are extremely concerned and unhappy that any Deputies should be housed outside the boundaries or perimeter of this House. I would ask again that an effort be made to try to bring to an end the situation in which we, in particular find ourselves, and in which Deputy FitzGerald finds himself, and that facilities would be made available within the overall perimeter of Leinster House. Suggestions have been made with regard to other arrangements whereby civil servants who are not under any security risk could go outside the general perimeter.
The museum, maybe.
I am aware of the Deputy's grave concern. I have attempted to deal with the matter effectively in the past and I am now going to renew my efforts more determinedly in order to ensure that the Deputy's wishes and those of Deputy Garret FitzGerald and others are granted.
(Limerick East): I would like to ask the Minister for Finance when the Building Societies' Bill will be introduced?
Hopefully before Christmas. It is being finalised at the moment.
Deputy Jimmy Deenihan.
It was promised before Christmas last year.
(Limerick East): Which Christmas?
Is the Minister going to sort out the smog first?
Deputy Deenihan has been called and should proceed with his question.
The Deputy has a problem to sort out over there.
I would ask the Minister for Finance to request the Taoiseach to intervene personally regarding the sale of Dalymount Park to ensure that it remains as a playing field.
The matter is not in order now. Deputy Ted Nealon.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 121 in my name on the Order Paper of Tuesday last.
I heard the Deputy but I am afraid his voice may have been inaudible. Perhaps he would kindly repeat the question
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I would like to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 121 in my name on the Order Paper of Tuesday last.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I would like your permission to raise on the Adjournment the need for a Supplementary Estimate for Foreign Affairs to provide for disaster relief——
I will communicate with the Deputy.
——to allow the Government to respond to the needs caused by the hurricane damage in Bangladesh and during the summer in Nicaragua.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the position of the preparation by the Government of various integrated programmes for the seven regions for the purposes of EC financial assistance and the persistent exclusion of public representatives at national and local level from that process.
I am aware of the Deputy's concern. He has repeated the matter very often recently. I will communicate with him but he and the Members generally will appreciate that the Chair gets many requests for the Adjournment and can only select one subject matter.
As there are only two weeks left in this session, will the Government indicate if it is proposed to have the Child Care Bill completed in this session in view of its urgency?
It would not be possible to complete the Child Care Bill in this session as there will be a number of amendments to it.
Will the Minister indicate when it is hoped to have it completed? Two Governments have been dealing with this Bill for nearly three years in this House.
In the next session.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the confusion as to accountability within Government for the development of the seven regional plans and also the democratic accountability of those plans either to this House or to local authorities.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I would like to ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food or the Minister for Health whether they are concerned about the recent alleged incidents of salmonella poisoning from eggs and if they intend to——
Is the Deputy seeking to raise the matter with me or with the House? It is not in order now, Deputy, as you will appreciate.
I thought I might be able to elicit a reply.
Is it safe to eat eggs?
The Government are on an egg free diet at the moment.
The Deputy has broken a few eggs in his time.
In relation to the legislation promised to reform the administration and function of building societies and the undertakings given by the Taoiseach that both that legislation and the Central Bank legislation would be taken together, have the Government now decided which Minister will manage the passage of the legislation through the House? Could the Minister for Finance indicate whether the Tánaiste has clarified what he indicated would be a novel parliamentary procedure the last time this matter was raised?
It was adequately responded to two weeks ago.
A Cheann Comhairle——
We may not enter into an argument about the matter now, Deputy. You will appreciate that.
The position is unchanged.
I appreciate that the Minister for Finance will not try to follow the Tánaiste in that regard. If the Bill is published before Christmas, can I take it that neither of those two Bills will be debated until 1989?
Correct.