It is proposed to take Nos. 5, 10, 11 and 6. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and shall adjourn not later than 12 midnight to enable the Financial Resolutions, with the exception of the General Financial Resolution to be concluded. It is further proposed that No. 5 shall be taken without debate, that No. 6 shall be taken at 3.45 p.m. and that the Order shall not resume. It is further proposed that following the Budget Statement of the Minister for Finance and the statements of the spokespersons of the parties in Opposition, the sitting shall be suspended for 30 minutes.
Order of Business.
May I now ask if it is agreed that No. 5 be taken without debate? Agreed. Is it agreed that No. 6 shall be taken at 3.45 p.m. and the Order shall not resume? Agreed. Following the statements on the budget is it agreed that the sitting be suspended for some 30 minutes? Agreed.
On the Order of Business, will the Taoiseach say if the normal rules of confidentiality will apply to today's proceedings?
I am not sure what point in particular the Deputy has in mind but if I can be of any assistance to him, I will only be too happy to oblige.
A welcome change.
The great transformation. Will the traditional, procedures of the House in relation to the circulation of the Minister's speech and the strictures we impose upon ourselves not to bring that out of the House apply also?
That is the idea.
Why, then, do the Fianna Fáil wing of the Government appear to be using an RTE correspondent to give advance notice of the contents of the budget and the Progressive Democrats wing of the Government seem to be using a new Sunday newspaper to give advance warning to the whole country of what is to be in the budget? Is this normal practice or is it something deliberately engineered by this Government? Are we now seeing a sudden sea change in that we have open government for a change?
The ranks of this Government are as solid as Leinster House itself.
Like the walls of Jericho.
We had the Office of Public Works in here for two years shoring up the Seanad Chamber.
Welcome back, Deputy Jackie Fahey, all is forgiven.
Would the Taoiseach not agree, a Cheann Comhairle, that for the last couple of weeks the massed ranks of Tuscany over there and their few Piedmontese spear carriers are more like a leaky sail than anything else?
Let us get down to the serious business of the House.
Welcome back, Deputy Calleary, I hope you had a nice trip.
A Cheann Comhairle, may I ask the Taoiseach if the Minister for Health is aware of the plight of the young 22 year old severely handicapped girl who has no place in residential accommodation?
Deputy De Rossa must find another way of raising that matter.
A Cheann Comhairle, will you hear me out?
It is not in order now. Doubtlessly the Deputy will find a way of raising the matter.
There are thousands of people out there in a similar position.
It is not in order to advert to it now, Deputy. Deputy De Rossa will resume his seat. I now call Deputy Quinn.
I wonder if I would be in order in asking the Taoiseach if the Government have proposals to bring forward legislation to reform, revise or in other ways interfere with the traditional operation of the Office of Public Works, having regard to newspaper reports of a consultant's report?
The Deputy knows that that is not in order either.
A Cheann Comhairle, the Taoiseach seems to be nodding.
I am nodding my head in disapproval of the Deputy's proposal.
With your permission, Sir, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of adequate residential care for a mentally handicapped adult in the Eastern Health Board area who is now being accommodated by health care staff in their own homes?
I have to advise the Deputy and the House that there is no provision made for an Adjournment Debate this evening.
May I ask the Taoiseach if it is the intention to bring forward the Industrial Relations Bill in the present session?
Yes, provided we can get some reasonable modicum of co-operation. I trust the Deputy will be with us on that matter.
The Taoiseach's record on industrial relations in here is pathetic.
I have already submitted a Private Notice Question to you, a Cheann Comhairle, but on the Order of Business I would like the Minister for Defence to report on the circumstances of the involvement of the Irish naval vessels, the LE Deirdre.
Sorry, Deputy Ryan, there are ways and means of raising such matters. It is not in order to pursue it now.
A Cheann Comhairle, before the recess I raised with you the important matter — to use your own phrase — of a question in my name which was disallowed because the Department of Tourism and Transport claimed the Minister had no responsibility to the House on the matter, a fact which was later disproved. You said you were in communication with the Minister about this matter and that you would let me know the outcome. I wonder if you are now in a position to indicate the outcome since some considerable time has passed.
Deputy Gay Mitchell gave me no notice of his intention to raise this matter this morning. I understand it was the subject of discussion at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, on which his party is represented.
I have individual rights in this House, given to me by the Constitution——
If you wish to raise that matter properly with me I will discuss it with you, but raising it out of the blue in this fashion is not good enough.
I understood that I would get a reply on the matter. I was denied my right to raise it in this House and I do not intend to let it pass. I think I deserve a reply from you.
I think the matter was fully deliberated upon at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
I have not received the reply, as you promised me in this House. I am entitled to that reply and I am now asking for it.
I will communicate with the Deputy but the matter has been fully discussed. There was no discourtesy intended to the Deputy and he knows that.
I do not know that; you should not dispute that I know it. I have not had communication as promised.
Arising from a statement made by the Minister for Justice in the House on 28 November, may I ask the Taoiseach if any progress has been made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or himself with the Ethiopian Government to allow relief supplies to the famine areas?
Please, Deputy Owen, it is clearly not in order now.
I know the Taoiseach is concerned with the matter. A statement was made in the House——
I thought the Deputy had something legitimate to raise.
Could we please have a reply?
It is not in order.
If you had left me there I would be in a position to answer.
The Minister was in the wrong place.
It would have been discussed today.
(Interruptions.)
The famine is in Ethiopia, not in Tanzania.
I would like to ask the Taoiseach whether the Government hope to have the Occupational Pensions Bill, governing private occupation pensions, before the House in this session.
It is not likely to be before the House in this session.
I would like to ask the Taoiseach or the Minister for Justice whether it is proposed to have before the House in this session the promised legislation for the abolition of the death penalty.
I will have to communicate with the Deputy about that matter.
Is there some difficulty?
We are now proceeding to item No. 5.