Vol. 395 No. 2
It is proposed to take No. 8.
It is also proposed that in the debate on the Financial Motions by the Minister for Finance, the following arrangements shall apply:
(1) The speech of the main spokesperson nominated by each of the groups (as defined in Standing Order 89 (1) (a)) shall not exceed one hour and
(2) The speech of each other Member called on shall not exceed 30 minutes.
Is the proposal for the time limit in relation to speeches agreed? Agreed.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment a question to the Minister for Health regarding the steps he is taking to provide residential care and other facilities for Samantha Webb, a 22 year old young woman who is mentally handicapped and has no place to stay, and for other people in similar circumstances.
I will communicate with the Deputy. He need not elaborate now.
While I am on my feet let me ask the Taoiseach if he will inform the House about discussions which I understand are going on between his party, the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party with regard to the ordering of the Business of the House. I understand the Whips' meetings were intended to assist in the ordering of the work of this House. Why do these Whips' meetings seem now to be ignored and why is it necessary for private meetings of this kind to take place?
I note the Deputy attributes almost omniscience to me. What goes on between the Fine Gael and Labour Parties is really not a matter for me.
They concern everybody.
I think the Deputy has made his point.
I understand meetings are taking place between the Taoiseach's party, the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party perhaps together or perhaps on a bilateral basis, but I would like to know why that is taking place outside the process of Whips' meetings.
I have sought to facilitate the Deputy. I can do no more.
The Deputy is drawing attention to the ridiculous situation in which we all find ourselves at the moment whereby the Fine Gael Party are preventing the Government discharging their many serious obligations, particularly those connected with the EC Presidency.
Yesterday, Sir, you graciously allowed me to raise a Private Notice Question——
——regarding a serious matter, the St. Columba which was in difficulties in the Irish Sea. Understandably, the Minister was not in a position to provide information yesterday. I ask that I be allowed to raise the matter on the Adjournment and that the Minister be allowed make a statement during the day in view of the fact that 250 passangers and crew were adrift for ten hours in very dangerous and difficult circumstances.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I wrote to you yesterday, Sir, concerning a Private Notice Question about the collapse of Ballybay Meat Exports in County Monaghan. I would be delighted if you would let me know your ruling on the matter because it is of urgent public importance. There is £3 million of taxpayers' money buried in that project, a project evaluated by the IDA only nine months ago, and I understand the Minister for Agriculture and Food initiated investigations. I want to know who are carrying out the investigations.
Does the Deputy wish to have the matter raised on the Adjournment? Are you asking my permission to have the matter raised on the Adjournment, Deputy?
Before I do——
The Deputy may not make a speech.
Why have I not got the Private Notice Question?
I have communicated my decision to the Deputy. I will consider his further request for the Adjournment.
Can I ask for it on the Adjournment?
Could the Minister for the Environment inform the House if the regulations necessary to implement the Local Government (Multi-Storey Dwellings) Act have been prepared and if they are ready to be published?
I will communicate with the Deputy on that matter.
(Limerick East): I would like to raise a matter of order and procedure with you. Last year while the budget debate proceeded you ruled out of order a large number of questions, particularly those directed to the Minister for Finance. Finance questions will be taken next Thursday and to enable me and the other spokespersons on Finance to frame Priority Questions which will not be ruled out of order by you and leave the Order Paper blank, I would like you to advise me what you will be ruling out in terms of the scope of the budget debate as most aspects of financial policy are referred to in the budget?
The Deputy is raising hypothetical issues with me. My office will be glad to assist him in relation to the matters he is anxious about. I am anxious to facilitate the Deputy but I am not in a position to advise him now.
Does the Deputy really want to ask questions on the budget at this stage?
Yesterday I raised with the Taoiseach the question of whether the legislation for the abolition of the death penalty would be introduced in this session. His office contacted me and I thank him for that but I would like to confirm for the record that it is the Government's intention to introduce this legislation to the House in this session.
I do not think it can be this session——
I may have misunderstood the information; could the Taoiseach give an indication when it is intended to bring that legislation before the House?
I can give the Deputy a categoric assurance that it is in the pipeline.
There are a few blockages in the pipeline.
We need to get a plumber at that pipeline.
It is just hanging in there.
I want to raise with the Taoiseach a very serious matter which affects many people around the country. He must be aware at this stage of the appalling delays in the Land Registry and of the proposal to introduce legislation to change its status to a semi-State body.
Deputy O'Keeffe will have to raise that matter at another time in another way.
On the question of legislation, has the Taoiseach given consideration to the proposal to introduce legislation to change the status of the Land Registry to a semi-State corporation? The Taoiseach will be aware of the urgency of action in this matter.
Has this legislation been promised?
The legislation has not been promised.
Could I get a promise from the Taoiseach?
You cannot laugh this one off.
Can we have the best of order for Deputy Charles Flanagan?
In the light of the Taoiseach's comments regarding the proposed legislation to abolish the death penalty, I would refer him to a schedule of proposed legislation that was circulated earlier in the week which did not appear to contain any reference to this matter. We know this legislation was promised, but is it still promised?
It is not promised for this session.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy in that regard.
In view of the fact that in his two and a half hour speech yesterday the Minister for Finance made no reference whatsoever to the current position of the Civil Legal Aid Board, may I raise the matter on the Adjournment?
That is a separate matter.
I just wish to raise the matter of the legal aid crisis——
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I would like the Minister for Defence to make a statement on the circumstances of the tragic drowning of a leading seaman yesterday morning.
Deputy Ryan must know full well that that matter is not in order now.
With your permission, I would like to raise it on the Adjournment.
The Deputy should have mentioned that earlier rather than seeking to raise it in a disorderly manner.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the implications for 30,000 householders in the Crumlin, Drimnagh and Bluebell areas of Dublin, who are to be deprived of conversion grant assistance, of the decision to ban the sale of coal and the status of smoke control zones in Dublin city.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
With your permission I would like to request again an Adjournment debate on the gassing of badgers on the spurious grounds that they cause the spread of bovine tuberculosis.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I would like to ask the Taoiseach if it is the Government's intention to publish the results of the investigation into the incident in Athy in which three gardaí and six other people were shot when the gardaí opened fire.
That matter is not in order now, and the Deputy knows that well.
I would like the Taoiseach to clarify a reply he gave me yesterday in which he indicated that he does not anticipate that the Occupational Pensions Bill will be ready this session. In view of the fact that I have since seen a report in the Irish Independent outlining that the Minister, at a meeting of actuaries last Saturday, indicated that he hoped to have that legislation ready in February — it would not be the first time that the Taoiseach has misled me——
The Deputy should not allege that any Member of this House misled her.
I do not believe it was intentional but he indicated that he had no knowledge of any promise of this legislation in the last session, despite the fact that it had been promised the week before. Can he clarify exactly what is happening, firstly in relation to the publication of the Bill and secondly when it will be introduced in the House? This legislation is urgently needed.
The Deputy is embarking upon a speech and that is not in order.
The Deputy can be reasonably certain that if I say in this House that legislation will not be taken in this session, then it will not be taken in this session.
Will it be published in this session?
Deputy Quinn is offering.
It could be.
Deputy Quinn has been called.
May I ask the Taoiseach when the Government propose to establish the all-party committee to review local authority finances?
That matter is in the pipeline too.
It must be some pipeline.
It is the same pipeline that flowed very well yesterday.
As one of our former colleagues, Frank Cluskey, remarked: it looks like you hit a dry well.
I would not agree.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of funding for the continuation of the 16 youth centres spread around the country.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.
With your permission I wish to raise on the Adjournment the difficulties in acquiring the site for the Jobstown community college and whether the Minister intends to deliver on her commitment to have it open for enrolment at the beginning of the next academic session?
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the anti-rod campaign group are about to renew their campaign quite vigorously? Is he in a position to tell this House if negotiations are being conducted—
I thought the Deputy wanted to raise a matter that is in order. The matter she is raising is not in order.
The Taoiseach promised amending legislation on this matter in this Chamber following the formation of the Government.
The Deputy will have to raise that matter at another time. Perhaps there will be ample time for it during the budget debate.
The Taoiseach, in this Chamber, promised amending legislation following his election as Taoiseach last July. I am now asking him if he is in a position to come into this House with an agreed formula, which may be presented in the form of amending legislation, to resolve the rod licence dispute.
Deputy Madeleine Taylor-Quinn may not persist in raising a matter that I have consistently deemed to be out of order.
Has the Taoiseach an answer?
In view of the unavoidable absence of the Minister for Agriculture and Food from this House, will the Taoiseach now undertake to tell the House when he will submit to Europe Ireland's request for an extension of the disadvantaged areas? Will it be next week, the week after or next year?
The Deputy will have ample opportunity to raise that matter. Let us get down to the Order of Business proper. Deputy Dukes was in possession on Financial Resolution No. 9.
