Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 Dec 1988

Vol. 385 No. 6

Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take No. 6.

It is also proposed that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and business shall be interrupted at 10 p.m.

It is further proposed that No. 6 shall be taken without debate.

It is further proposed that in the debates on the Estimates being taken today, the following arrangements shall apply: (1) Votes 7, 10 and 47 shall be taken together for the purposes of debate and the questions necessary to bring the proceedings to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, shall be put at 5.30 p.m.; (2) Vote 43, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 7 p.m.; (3) the Supplementary Estimate for Vote 26 for 1988 and the Excess Vote for Vote 26 for 1986 shall be taken together for the purposes of debate and the questions necessary to bring the proceedings to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, shall be put at 10 p.m. and (4) in each case, the speech of Members called on shall not exceed 15 minutes and the Minister replying shall be called on to conclude the debate not later than 10 minutes before the stated time.

It is further proposed that if a division is challenged on any of the Votes being taken today, such divisions shall be taken forthwith.

Private Members' Business shall be No. 31, Motion 46.

An Ceann Comhairle

May I ask if the proposal for the late sitting is agreed? Agreed. May I ask if the proposal that No. 6 be taken without debate is agreed? Agreed. May I ask if the proposal in respect of the Estimates, Votes 7, 10, 47, 43 and 26, is agreed? Agreed.

Mr. Dukes

I should like, with the permission of the Chair, to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of my Private Notice Question which we have just dealt with and to share my time on that with one or more of my colleagues.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Birmingham

In regard to promised legislation, I should like to ask the Taoiseach what the position is in regard to the legislation to give greater autonomy to RTCs. That was to be enacted during this session, as promised during the summer, but earlier in this session the Tánaiste indicated that that might have been over-optimistic and assured the House that the legislation would be circulated before the end of the session. I should like to know if the legislation will be circulated or when we can expect it.

The Taoiseach

Unfortunately, not this session.

Mr. Birmingham

Will it be before the House in the next session?

The Taoiseach

I will let the Deputy know as soon as possible.

Mr. J. Bruton

Will the Taoiseach indicate if it is still the Government's intention, as indicated by Deputy Reynolds when he was Minister for Industry and Commerce, to introduce the legislation dealing with patents before Christmas? If not, will the Taoiseach have the matter expedited in view of the effect that patent legislation has on the survival of 12,000 jobs in the pharmaceutical industry here?

The Taoiseach

The legislation is with the draftsman at the moment and, hopefully, it will be introduced next session.

Mr. J. Bruton

Is the Taoiseach aware of the urgency of the legislation from the point of view of patent protection for a number of firms, some of whom have already invested up to £100 million here and are relying on a speedy passage of that legislation to protect them?

The Taoiseach

I had a letter the other day from such a company.

Mr. J. Bruton

May I take it from the fact that the Taoiseach has received a letter that he will take an interest in ensuring that the legislation is published during the recess?

The Taoiseach

I will. I agree with the Deputy that this is urgent.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the fishery negotiations in Brussels last weekend at which quotas were set. They will have serious consequences for the fishing industry here.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Quinn

I should like to ask the Taoiseach, having regard to the debate on the Supplementary Estimate for the EUROPEN campaign, if he or the Chief Whip have given any consideration to the proposal to extend the sittings in the new year to accommodate a regular debate on the various Directives being issued by the EC which will concern the 1992 project. I have in mind, for example, extending the sitting on Tuesdays from 8.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. to provide a regular forum for such discussions.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is something that might be raised in another way.

The Taoiseach

I will ask the Whips to discuss that.

Mr. J. Bruton

I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he will indicate if it will be possible early in the next session to have a debate on the report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the functions and roles of the Comptroller and Auditor General in view of the wide-ranging importance of that report and the necessity of having it debated here at an early stage.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is a matter primarily for the Whips.

Mr. J. Bruton

The Chair permitted me on a previous occasion to raise this matter with the Taoiseach who indicated that he would have the matter discussed by the Whips. I am asking the Taoiseach if any progress has been made.

The Taoiseach

The Whips have had a preliminary discussion about that matter.

Mr. J. Bruton

The Taoiseach's action might have a similar motivating effect on the progress of these discussions as it had in the first instance.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I should like to ask the Taoiseach to tell the House what the position is in regard to Shannon Airport which, it was recently reported, has been listed under the US civil reserve airfield programme to provide facilities for the Pan Am airline.

An Ceann Comhairle

That matter does not arise now.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

It is a very serious matter. Can we take it, therefore, that our policy of neutrality has changed?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy will have to find another way of raising that matter.