Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Dec 1990

Vol. 404 No. 1

Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take Nos. 7 and 8. It is also proposed, subject to the agreement of the House, that:

(1) business shall be interrupted at 9.30 p.m.;

(2) the sitting shall be suspended today from 6.30 p.m. to 7 p.m.;

(3) No. 7 shall be taken without debate;

(4) the Supplementary Estimates and the Excess Vote to which No. 7 refers shall be moved together and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) Votes 3, 7, 13, 14, 19, 21, 22, 34, 44 and Excess Vote 22 shall be taken without debate, (b) the debate on Votes 42, 25, 26-29, 39 and 30, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.30 a.m., 12.15 p.m., 12.55 p.m., 1.35 p.m. and 2.15 p.m. respectively, (c) the Supplementary Estimates shall be decided by one question and if a division is challenged, it shall be taken forthwith, (d) each Vote or group of Votes referred to in paragraph (b) shall be considered to be a separate motion for the purposes of Standing Order 44; speakers in each case shall be confined to a spokesperson for each of the groups as defined in Standing Order 89 and each speech shall not exceed ten minutes;

(5) the following arrangements shall apply for the debate on No. 8: (a) the speech of the main spokesperson for each of the groups shall not exceed 30 minutes, (b) the speech of each other Member called on shall not exceed 20 minutes, (c) the speech of the Minister concluding the debate shall not exceed ten minutes, (d) the debate shall be brought to a conclusion at 4.45 p.m. on Wednesday, 19 December 1990. Private Members' Business which shall be No. 36 shall take from 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

An Ceann Comhairle

I have to put the question in respect of the many items referred to.

Proinsias De Rossa

Before we take the question as to whether we agree to the business, the Taoiseach indicated last week that he would take an opportunity to report back to the House on the proceedings of the Inter-Governmental Conference held at the week-end——

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputy, let me deal with the Order of Business.

Proinsias De Rossa

A Cheann Comhairle——

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputy De Rossa, allow me to proceed in the normal way.

Proinsias De Rossa

I am simply looking for clarification from the Taoiseach.

An Ceann Comhairle

You may raise the matter at another time, Deputy, not now.

Proinsias De Rossa

Will the Chair allow me to complete the sentence?

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy De Rossa knows he is out of order in interfering with the function of the Chair at this juncture.

Proinsias De Rossa

I am seeking to assist the House.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am about to put the Order of Business to the House and I may not be obstructed in the matter.

Proinsias De Rossa

I am not obstructing you, a Cheann Comhairle.

An Ceann Comhairle

What are you doing then, Deputy?

Proinsias De Rossa

I am simply asking for clarification from the Taoiseach as to whether he proposes to use any of the Estimates today to report on the Inter-Governmental Conference or whether he intends to take another opportunity to do so.

An Ceann Comhairle

You can raise that matter quite conveniently later on the Estimates. Is it agreed that business shall be interrupted at 9.30 p.m.? Agreed. Is it agreed that the sitting shall be suspended from 6.30 p.m. to 7 p.m.? Agreed. Is it agreed that No. 7 shall be taken without debate? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with the Supplementary Estimates and the Excess Vote agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with No. 8 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with the extended time for Private Members' Business agreed? Agreed.

Mr. J. Bruton

I have two brief questions for the Taoiseach. Will he agree to make representations to the British Government seeking the unconditional release of the Birmingham Six for Christmas pending — and without prejudice — the review of their cases which is to take place in February, in view of the fact that they have been in jail for almost 17 years? I also——

An Ceann Comhairle

I hesitate to interrupt the Deputy but, clearly, this is not a matter for the Order of Business.

Mr. J. Bruton

Will the Ceann Comhairle agree that, in view of the seriousness of the matter, this is the only opportunity or means available to me to raise this matter before the Dáil goes into recess?

An Ceann Comhairle

I hope to facilitate the Deputy in another way.

Mr. J. Bruton

I am sure the Taoiseach would like to reply but I do not wish to get into conflict with the Chair as I appreciate his position. I will seek whatever means are open to me to raise the matter in another way and I am sure the Taoiseach will wish to respond. Has the Taoiseach any plans to introduce legislation to enhance the powers of the director of the Central Statistics Office in view of the fact that the director stated he does not have sufficient powers to investigate the very serious leak which occurred in relation to the inflation figures?

An Ceann Comhairle

I have already ruled on this matter.

Mr. Spring

I seek clarification from the Taoiseach in relation to the conference in Rome last weekend. Will the House be allowed time tomorrow to discuss the outcome of that meeting? I assume the Taoiseach will be informing the House tomorrow of the Adjournment of the Dáil for a considerable period. Will the Taoiseach and the Government give consideration to the House coming back earlier in January in view of the substantial amount of business with which we have to deal? If I raise this point tomorrow morning it will probably be too late as the Government will have fixed a date for resumption. Will the Taoiseach give some consideration to coming back early in January?

The Taoiseach

It is my intention, as promised, to report to the House on the very successful Rome Summit. I understand that the Whips will be getting together to see how that can be arranged. The House will reassemble in good time to do all the necessary business.

Proinsias De Rossa

In view of the fact that we will be adjourning tomorrow until, presumably, close to the end of January and that the deadline for the United Nations Security Council motion is 15 January, will the Taoiseach say if any special arrangements will be made to recall the House in the event of the United States implementing that decision, as they threatened last night?

The Taoiseach

I hope, I am sure we all earnestly hope, that the awful eventuality to which the Deputy referred will not arise in January or at any subsequent time. Of course arrangements can always be made to recall the Dáil if necessary.

Mr. Quinn

Will the Taoiseach give consideration in his report tomorrow — or at a time the Whips agree — on the outcome of the IGC to outline the position which Ireland has taken in relation to the suspension of some sanctions against South Africa which were apparently agreed at that conference?

An Ceann Comhairle

We should await the Taoiseach's statement on the matter.

Mr. Quinn

On a point of order, as the procedure in relation to this matter is by way of statements which cannot be questioned, I am being courteous in asking the Taoiseach in advance to give some consideration to this matter and to perhaps include it in the report to the House. I am not anticipating his reply, I am simply requesting him to consider it when he speaks.

An Ceann Comhairle

Very good.

Mr. Gilmore

As the promised legislation on the reorganisation of local government will not now be circulated before Christmas — as originally intended — will the Taoiseach say when in the next session that legislation will be circulated? Will it be before the Easter recess?

The Taoiseach

I am not yet in a position to tell the Deputy about that as the report from the expert group has only just been received.

Mr. G. Mitchell

Will the Taoiseach allow a token Estimate to be introduced for the Department of Tourism and Transport so that what has euphemistically been described as "unreported losses" by Aer Lingus, now totalling perhaps £24 million, could be debated by the House? If that is not feasible, could a statement be made to the House so that Members could be informed as to what is happening in Aer Lingus?

An Ceann Comhairle

Will the Deputy raise that matter on the discussion we will be having shortly on Estimates instead of raising it now as it is inappropriate?

Mr. Howlin

Does the Taoiseach intend requesting the Whips to allocate time before the Dáil adjourns tomorrow to seek its approval to appoint a new member of Government?

The Taoiseach

It does not arise.

Mr. Shatter

With reference to the Taoiseach's reply to Deputy Gilmore, will the Taoiseach circulate a copy of the report of the expert group on local government to Members of the House or will a copy be laid in the Library?

An Ceann Comhairle

We proceed to——

Mr. Shatter

The silence from the Taoiseach is deafening. Open Government.