It is proposed that business shall be interrupted not later than 7 p.m. today.
Private Business. - Order of Business.
In telling the House——
Deputy Sheehan, please desist.
It is also proposed that statements on the outcome of the European Council meeting in Dublin on 28 April 1990 and developments in Europe shall be made now and that, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the following arrangements shall apply:
A Cheann Comhairle——
If you persist I must ask you to leave the House.
This is disgraceful conduct and I think the Tánaiste——
The statement of the main spokesperson for each of the groups shall not exceed 45 minutes; the statement of each other Member called on shall not exceed 20 minutes; and the statements shall conclude not later than 7 p.m.
If the Deputies persist I will ask them to leave the House forthwith. Deputy Sheehan, resume your seat or leave the House.
(Interruptions.)
I will not tolerate this disorder for one moment longer. May I now ask if the proposal that business be interrupted at 7 p.m. today is agreed? Agreed. Are the arrangements for dealing with the statements agreed? Agreed.
I seek some clarification from the Taoiseach and, indeed, from the Minister for the Marine. As I understand it, the conduct of fishermen is now ruled by the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1987. I now seek clarification from the Taoiseach, who already promised this House that legislation would be brought in to amend or to withdraw that Act, when such legislation will be introduced? Can he also clarify whether until the legislation is introduced, the 1987 Act is still the law of the land?
I am not so sure if legislation has been promised.
The simple answer is that legislation will be introduced this session.
May I raise two matters briefly? I seek again to raise on the Adjournment the criteria that the Minister for the Environment intends to apply in sifting through the approximate 4,000 applications he has received for recreational and amenity grants. The second matter on which I would like to ask your assistance is that in yesterday's newspapers widespread publicity was given to the announcement made by the Minister for the Environment that he was extending the designated areas under the Urban Renewal Act. Even a map was published in the newspapers indicating new designated areas throughout different parts of the country. Neither yesterday nor today has information relating to this been lodged in the Library of this House. More seriously, under section 6 of the Urban Renewal Act, for the Minister to extend the designated areas, a formal order must be made. It is my information that no such orders have yet been made and I would ask the Taoiseach to clarify the position for Members of the House.
More bluff.
I will communicate with the Deputy in respect of the first matter he has raised. I am not sure if the second matter is in order now.
On a point of order, an announcement has been made which will have a substantial impact throughout the length and breadth——
If, for clarification, the Deputy puts down a question concerning the matter——
Either the Government are extending the designated areas or they are not.
It is not a matter for legislation.
Under the legislation the Minister would have to make a formal order under the Urban Renewal Act. It is a matter of legislation. Section 6 of the Act requires that.
This is leading to long argument.
There is no order for it on today's Order Paper. I would ask the Taoiseach when will the order be made, when will it be placed on the Order Paper?
I am calling Deputy De Rossa.
(Interruptions.)
It is a serious matter.
I have afforded the House a chance of having matters clarified. The Deputy must deal with this in a more formal manner.
Clearly, the Taoiseach does not wish to clarify the matter.
Please, Deputy Shatter.
On a point of order, this House passed legislation that requires certain things to be done by the Minister in order to give effect to the provisions of the Act in question. The Minister has now gone on public record as saying that he is doing certain things under that Act, which he is not allowed to do without making an order. The House deserves to know, the House has a right to know and everybody who is affected by these orders has a right to know, if an order was made, if not, when will it be made and when will this House be able to see that order? The Government are flying by the seat of their pants and are not telling the rest of the country what they are doing or why. They are making a publicity stunt of the issue.
(Interruptions.)
We simply want to know when will the order be made and when will it be laid before this House.
I am calling Deputy De Rossa.
The Dáil is being treated with contempt.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Sorry Deputy Dukes, I cannot compel any Member of this House to speak if he or she does not wish to do so.
This House is being treated with contempt.
There are many ways of securing clarification of this matter and I would advise Deputy Shatter to do so in a more formal way. He knows how to proceed.
We have a published statement by the Government saying certain things are going to be done. It has not been backed up by an order. This House deserves to know now, and it would take two seconds for the Minister or the Taoiseach to say when this order is going to be made.
A Deputy
It is not in order to say——
Time and time again Ministers make announcements and subsequently make either orders or legislate to give effect to their announcements of policy. There is nothing in the slightest unusual in that procedure, and in regard to this or any other matter, the necessary orders that require to be made on any issue of policy will be made and the Whips can decide when they will be taken by this House.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of order——
Deputy Shatter, I am proceeding to other business now. I have called Deputy De Rossa on a number of occasions. I have been frustrated——
There are maps being distributed. When they are lucky enough to have their property in designated areas——
(Interruptions.)
I want to raise two items here this morning. One relates to the first firm news that has been announced regarding the safety of Brian Keenan and I want to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will take an opportunity to tell the House some time today what steps he is taking, now that we know for definite that Brian Keenan is safe, to seek his release.
I seek to raise on the Adjournment the conditions and treatment of adults, who suffer from autism, by the health boards and to ask what steps the Minister is taking to rectify the appalling conditions these people face at present.
I will communicate with the Deputy in respect of the second matter to which he has adverted.
I seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the report that Carysfort College is to be resold within ten days and that the Minister for Education has so far failed to respond to an offer which would enable the State to purchase the college.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
I have been seeking for some time that the Government make time available in this House for a debate on our prison system, on penal reform and in particular on the recommendations of the Whitaker report. I wonder whether the Taoiseach has given consideration to that request and if he will now indicate whether such time will be made available for a full, constructive and comprehensive debate on that matter.
I thought the Deputy had something legitimate to raise now.
Do I take it that the Taoiseach is not giving an answer to my request? I understood from him in the past when I raised it with him that he would consider it and I was anticipating he would be in a position to give me a reply.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the delay in publishing the 1988 Mountjoy Prison report and the delay in reappointing the visiting committee.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
A Deputy
The silent President of Europe.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the crisis that has arisen in the Rowlagh health centre. Due to shortage of community welfare officers new claimants are not being dealt with and the health centre has been taken over by local people at the moment. I wish to ask the Minister for Health to intervene urgently in that.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I seek once again to raise on the Adjournment the scandalous situation in the operation of the Garda Complaints Board in that they are now a year behind with cases.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.
Let me, through you Sir, ask the Minister for the Environment if he has finalised the regulations in relation to the prohibition on the sale of bituminous coal in the Dublin area, and if the standards in relation to that type of coal have been communicated to the various wholesalers.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
Since this is a matter of legislation by way of regulation I was wondering if the Minister has brought forward those regulations or when he proposes to do so.
There is a distinct difference between legislation and regulations. Perhaps a Dáil question would elicit the information you require.
This question has been dealt with before. Regulations are secondary legislation. The Minister has promised to publish these regulations. He has promised in this House to issue them as soon as possible. I am simply asking now, has "possible" arrived and can he indicate to the House when they will be told?
The Deputy should raise the matter in a more formal way.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the crisis in the supplementary welfare service in the Eastern Health Board area and in particular the failure of the Minister for Social Welfare to approve extra community welfare officers.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
I seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 181 of 25 April last and the possible implications for persons who have made application for benefit of one kind or another.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach before the Cabinet sends a submission about the severely handicapped areas to Brussels later this week to ensure that all south Galway, so badly affected by flooding, will be included in that submission as promised by the local Minister of State.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
Is he sure he is going to Brussels?
I seek to raise on the Adjournment the difficulties being experienced by consumers in getting insurance cover at reasonable cost.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the dramatic increase in local authority housing lists and the Government's failure to do anything about it.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter. Let us proceed to the Order of Business proper.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the serious situation as regards the thousands of farmers who are still awaiting payment of their cattle headage grants for 1989.
I will communicate with the Deputy.