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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 8 Mar 1990

Vol. 396 No. 8

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take Nos. 4 and 8. It is also proposed that in the debate on No. 4, which shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 1.30 p.m., the following arrangements shall apply: (1) the speech of each Member called on shall not exceed 20 minutes and (2) the concluding speech of the chairman of the committee who shall be called on not later than 1.20 p.m., shall not exceed ten minutes.

An bhfuil na socruithe i dtaobh Uimhir a 4 aontaithe? Aontaithe.

May I ask the Taoiseach if he has any intention of making a statement or response to the very stinging attack on the Government's budgetary policy delivered by the Central Bank yesterday? If not, can we take his silence to indicate that he accepts the chastisement?

This does not arise now, Deputy.

Will we see in the Finance Bill a recasting of the——

That matter should be dealt with in a proper fashion. Deputy Spring.

Does his silence mean that the Taoiseach accepts these claims?

Deputy Dick Spring has been called.

As today is International Women's Day, may I ask the Taoiseach if he, in particular, is talking any steps to celebrate or recognise International Women's Day on behalf of the Government?

Please, Deputy Spring. I am calling Deputy Fennell.

I take it by his silence that he is not doing anything.

Deputy Fennell has been called.

This practice of asking questions on the Order of Business which are out of order——

The Chair will decide that.

——very often conveys a wrong impression to the general public.

The Taoiseach established a few precedents himself.

Order, please.

The media frequently report that the Taoiseach remained silent. The reason the Taoiseach remained silent is that he has great respect for the order of this House.

(Interruptions.)

I must send the Taoiseach a copy of the Official Report from 1982-87.

As you know a Cheann Comhairle, the Taoiseach never wishes to be disorderly in these matters.

Absolute nonsense. The Taoiseach has nothing to say.

I called Deputy Nuala Fennell.

As today is International Women's Day, is it in order for me to ask the Taoiseach if he has any information on the Equal Status Bill, the equal opportunities legislation promised in the Fianna Fáil election manifesto?

Is the Bill promised?

Bearing in mind what the Central Bank said yesterday in relation to the budget, may I ask the Taoiseach if the Government have any proposals to alter the legislation regulating the Central Bank in view of their failure to monitor——

This does not arise now, Deputy De Rossa. Questions should be put down in respect of these matters.

(Limerick East): May I ask the Taoiseach when the Government will be in a position to introduce legislation on the restructuring of Irish Steel? Is he aware that newspaper reports this morning again indicate that the leaks emanating from the Department of Finance and the Department of Industry and Commerce are continuing?

That is not a matter for the Order of Business and the Deputy knows that. Deputy Quinn.

(Limerick East): This matter arises from the promised legislation on Irish Steel. There are a series of leaks from the Department of Finance and the Department of Industry and Commerce in this morning's papers.

Deputy Noonan should deal with that matter in a formal way. It does not arise now.

(Limerick East): We all believe in open Government but government by PR to make one Minister look good and another look bad was never the practice in this country.

Please, Deputy Noonan, you must resume your seat.

(Limerick East): I asked a question about legislation——

Deputy Noonan is ignoring the Chair.

(Limerick East): The legislation——

Deputy Noonan may not ignore the Chair with impunity. He must now resume his seat.

(Limerick East): A Cheann Comhairle——

I must insist that Deputy Noonan resumes his seat.

(Limerick East): I asked a question on promised legislation.

What is the promised legislation?

(Limerick East): It deals with the restructuring of Irish Steel.

There are reports in this morning's papers that a decision——

Please, Deputy. That is not promised legislation.

May I raise on the Adjournment with the Minister for Finance the decision of the Central Bank to import £30 million worth of the new Irish coins from the Royal Mint in Great Britain rather than have it minted in the Irish Central Bank coinage factory in Sandyford?

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Because of my concern that the Taoiseach should not be embarrassed when he opens the new bridge over the Liffey next Sunday, I should like your permission to raise on the Adjournment two matters——

Will one be sufficient, Deputy?

(Interruptions.)

He probably knows the second matter I want to raise. The first matter relates to my concern about the safety of children in the Laurel Lodge area where only a small fence separates the estate from the roadway. The second matter relates to the failure of the Minister for the Environment to sign the Liffey Valley amenity order.

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.

I want to raise these matters on the Adjournment merely to ensure that the Taoiseach is not embarrassed.

The Deputy has made his point.

I believe I will strike gold this morning. I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of a regional technical college for County Mayo.

I will communicate with the Deputy. Deputy Joe Sherlock has been offering for some time.

May I ask the Minister for Health when it is intended to bring in the regulations, as promised, to change the legislation in regard to the community drugs refund scheme?

The Deputy should pursue that in a more formal way.

It is legislation which has——

Has this legislation been promised?

Yes. It is in regard to the drugs refund scheme.

May I once again ask your permission to raise on the Adjournment of the House tonight the report of an Irish party of inspection to the island of Leros on the psychiatric conditions prevailing there and the responsibility of the Minister for Health in the EC Council of Ministers in this regard?

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter. I am aware of his interest. Deputy Seán Barrett has been offering.

Could I ask the Taoiseach if we will get an opportunity of debating the annual reports produced by the national lottery which disclosed that outside of prizes, agents' commission and surplus to the State, £18.2 million goes on administrative costs?

That is a matter for formal questions at the appropriate time. It is not in order now.

The problem is that I do not think this is part of the commercial State bodies.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the serious flooding in south Galway. Would the Government send somebody down to have a look at this because they do not seem to realise the situation? I would also ask that this area be included in the severely handicapped areas.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

I have asked every day to have this raised on the Adjournment and I have not been lucky this week.

Deputy McCormack, please resume your seat. The Deputy is not helping his case.

I will sit down if it will help the case.

Could I have your permission to raise on the Adjournment the worsening situation at the Sunbeam plant in Cork where already 80 jobs have been lost and jobs are being lost by the hour there now? There is a sit-in there at present.

I will communicate with the Deputy on that matter.

I would like to ask the Minister for the Environment when he intends to bring before the House the regulations which are required under the Air Pollution Act, 1987, giving him the authority to outlaw——

That is for questions at the appropriate time.

I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, but it is here in the Act that every regulation made by the Minister under this Act shall be laid before the House.

It is not in order now. Deputy Garland.

On a point of order——

I have called Deputy Garland. I will take your point of order later.

I am raising a point of order.

The Deputy ought not to frustrate the Chair.

With your permission I should like to raise on the Adjournment the serious problem of noise pollution likely to arise in the area around Dublin Airport where the proposed additional runway is due to open shortly and where hundreds of residents face serious inconvenience.

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.

Again on a point of order, may I seek the guidance of the Chair? Is it not in order for a Deputy to ask a question on the Order of Business with regard to regulations that must be brought before this House under previous legislation?

It has been the practice here. There are many precedents.

You have had your answer, Deputy. Resume your seat.

I take it the coal is not banned then.

Could I again seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the need for the Government to deliver on their commitment to decentralise a Government Department?

I will communicate with the Deputy.

With your permission I would like to raise on the Adjournment the change of Government policy whereby local authorities have been instructed by the Department of the Environment to redirect surplus housing capital receipts for expenditure on roads when there is a housing crisis in the country.

I will be in touch with the Deputy regarding the matter.

I seek to raise on the Adjournment the loss of 200 jobs in the Kerry Fashions factory in Tralee.

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.

I hope this one is in order. May I ask the Minister for Education if she will tell us when she intends to introduce legislation to establish the Dublin Institute of Technology on a statutory basis as promised? I know she has promised it some time this year.

Has this legislation been promised? No. Deputy Byrne, desist.

I would like to raise on the Adjournment this evening the flooding at Inch Island in Donegal where the Office of Public Works have denied——

We go on to deal with item No. 4.

May I finish?

Deputy Byrne has raised a question and has clear record of the House indicating that the legislation was promised in the answer to a question raised in this House on 6 March of this year.

I asked if this legislation was promised and received an intimation from the Taoiseach that it was not promised. I have to accept that.

It would appear that the Taoiseach does not know what his Minister is promising. It is here as a matter of record. The Minister said: "I am aiming to introduce legislation enabling VEC colleges, including Dublin Institute of Technology, to expand and enhance the scope of their operations". It is here.

I am now informed that the legislation was actually promised in the House. I apologise to the Deputy.

Could the Taoiseach answer the question that was asked?

Deputy Harte has not concluded his remarks.

Could we have an indication when the legislation will be available?

I will have to communicate with the Deputy about that. I was mixing it up with another piece of legislation.

With your permission I would like to raise on the Adjournment a problem at Inch Island, County Donegal, which was badly flooded a few days ago. The Office of Public Works say they have no responsibility. A high tide will threaten the area on Sunday night and a lot of private property will be destroyed. I am asking that the matter be raised on the Adjournment this evening to see if Government intervention can help the people living on this island.

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.

Has the Taoiseach yet had an opportunity to consider the request made by Fine Gael about nine days ago for an opportunity to debate here in the House the implications for bank supervision and the speedy investigation of fraud allegations on the "Today Tonight" programme?

Is that not one for the Whips to decide?

I can tell the Ceann Comhairle that the Fine Gael Whip has sought such time.

It does not seem to me to be in order now.

Would the Ceann Comhairle not agree that the Taoiseach should be given an opportunity to indicate whether or not time will be provided for this important discussion?

I will ask the Whips.

This time I might be in order. I would like to raise on the Adjournment the situation prevailing in Dublin city where the Carriage Office in Dublin is so undermanned that there has been no inspection of public service vehicles, including taxis, operating in Dublin city which could be plying their trade in unfit and mechanically defective vehicles.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

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