Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Mar 1991

Vol. 406 No. 3

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take Nos. 10 and 11. It is also proposed, subject to the agreement of the House, that business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m.; the proceedings on the Committee Stage of No. 10 and the Report and Final Stages of No. 11, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 9.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. respectively, by one question in each case which shall be put from the Chair and which shall in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the member of the Government in charge of the Bill. Private Members' Business shall be No. 19.

Is the proposal for the late sitting tonight to 10.30 p.m. agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with the Committee Stage of No. 10 agreed?

On the proposal to apply a guillotine to the Committee Stage of No. 10 at 9.30 p.m., while it may well be that the Committee Stage will be concluded by that time, I believe the Bill is so important that it is not correct to apply a guillotine to it. Of more serious concern is the proposal to take the Report Stage tomorrow, which will leave Deputies with very little time to consider what amendments may, in fact, be submitted. I ask if the Taoiseach would indicate that the taking of Report Stage could be delayed for a couple of days in order to enable the parties in opposition to consider whatever Report Stage amendments are proposed.

I understand that matter has already been discussed by the Whips.

It was not agreed.

It was not agreed.

There is a time scale on us which is coercive with regard to the Stock Exchange requirements and I appeal for the co-operation of the House in giving us the Bill on Thursday.

We are trying to be co-operative and at the Whips meeting we sought to have the taking of Report Stage delayed. I do not think it would affect the Stock Exchange too much if we were to reallocate the time for the Gulf debate to tomorrow night and take the Report Stage of the Sugar Bill on Friday.

May I take it that item No. 10 is being challenged?

Question put: "That the proposals for dealing with No. 10 be agreed" put and declared carried.

Is the proposal for dealing with No. 11 agreed? Agreed.

On the Order of Business, Sir, in respect of promised legislation, would the Taoiseach indicate if it is the intention of the Government to put the Social Welfare Bill entirely through this House before the end of next week, in view of the fact that the Bill in question has not yet, even today, been published? Would the Taoiseach agree that this is most unsatisfactory in view of the recently published reports which show that social welfare legislation, as it interacts with tax legislation, is creating poverty traps, which makes it not worthwhile for people to improve their income if they have children and have an income of between £3,000 and £10,000 a year? Would the Taoiseach not agree that the proposed time frame for the discussion——

Get your facts right, Deputy.

Would the Minister get the Bill before us?

——of the Social Welfare Bill is entirely unsatisfactory in view of the fact that the Government have refused the Fine Gael request for a special debate on this issue of poverty traps?

The Minister should hang his head in shame.

The increasing air of unreality about the things that Deputy Bruton is saying and raising in this House——

(Interruptions.)

The question has been asked of the Taoiseach, let us be courteous enough to listen to the reply.

Second Stage of the Social Welfare Bill will be taken on Thursday and it is intended to complete it before the Easter recess.

When will we see it?

That is the normal procedure. The Social Welfare Bill, of necessity, is taken in a short period of time because of the exigencies of the situation.

We have not seen the Bill yet.

Deputies Quinn, De Rossa and Bruton rose.

It is ordered to be taken.

Let us not attempt to debate the matter now. A question has been asked about legislation and a reply has been given. Let us not seek to debate it.

The Taoiseach in his reply was unable to answer the question.

If I get time and courtesy I will answer everything. The Bill will be circulated tonight.

Would the Taoiseach agree that it is to introduce an air of unreality into this House to expect Members to process in seven days extremely complex legislation which the Government have not yet been able to publish, particularly in view of the fact that the legislation directly creates poverty traps, which makes it not worthwhile for people to work harder if they have children?

Do not talk nonsense.

The Government do not care.

Let us avoid repetition. I am calling Deputy De Rossa.

On the Order of Business, the Minister for Health indicated at Question Time today that it was proposed to introduce amendments to the family planning legislation. When is it expected that these amendments will be circulated to Deputies? Is it intended before then to indicate to Members what form these amendments may take?

The proposed legislation will be circulated in due course and we hope to take it fairly soon after Easter. I am glad to be able to confirm to the House that despite some comments made outside this House the legislation will be carefully and maturely considered and there will be no rush to enact it.

The Taoiseach has conned them all again.

In view of the delicate situation in relation to the talks on Northern Ireland, and the fact that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will be answering questions on Northern Ireland in the House of Commons on Thursday, have either the Taoiseach or the Minister for Foreign Affairs any plans to make a statement in the House or alternatively, to talk separately to the party leaders on this matter?

That matter was adverted to earlier.

I do not think the Taoiseach had an opportunity to reply.

It is not in order now. Deputy.

It was adverted to only by way of a request under Standing Orders.

In view of what has now transpired since the order for this week was set last Thursday by agreement with the Whips, would the Taoiseach envisage at some stage making a statement either in this House or to the party leaders?

That might be a matter for the Whips.

Perhaps the Taoiseach might reply now.

I cannot. I would be out of order.

In view of the seriousness of the matter and my attempts to be in order would you, a Cheann Comhairle, grant one of your generous dispensations to the Taoiseach to allow him to answer this question?

I will be glad to keep the House informed whenever it is appropriate to do so.

When is it proposed to publish the Bill in relation to child sexual abuse?

I will give the Deputy a date for publication. It is hoped to take it next session.

When is it intended to circulate the local government Bill?

The legislation for the very valuable reform of local government will be circulated in plenty of time to have it discussed, debated, examined in detail and enacted before the local elections on 27 June after which, I can assure the Deputy, Fianna Fáil will continue to maintain a strong position on all local authorities.

I have to admire the Taoiseach's confidence in the face of adversity. Will the Bill be circulated this session?

No, I do not think so.

Would I be in order to ask the Taoiseach if the same person who is drafting the National Roads Authority Bill has been given responsibility to draft this one because, in view of the many repeated promises of instant delivery the House would be somewhat previous in attempting to anticipate it?

I am sure the Deputy will learn with great joy that the roads authority Bill will be circulated this session.

Will it be before Easter?

Will you give them a free vote on that as well?

Given that legislation was passed here on the night of the budget, that the Taoiseach said it would be reviewed in connection with the business expansion scheme, when will the finalisation of that review take place and when will the Government announce the findings of that review to the House?

It is not promised legislation.

If it is not promised, it is not promised.

On the night of the budget, the Taoiseach stated that he would review this situation and it is important that a decision should be made on it before the financial year ends on 6 April. I would ask the Taoiseach to let people who are involved and affected know of his decision before that.

The Chair is only responsible for what he heard the Taoiseach say, and the Taoiseach said it is not promised legislation.

It is obvious, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, that the Taoiseach wishes to respond.

What may appear obvious to the Deputy is not obvious to the Chair. It is not in order.

On a point of order, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle——

The Taoiseach wants to perform again.

The information the Deputy is seeking will be published very shortly.

Another U-turn. Thank you, Taoiseach.

It was promised. I am sorry about that. We would like a sweetener now. We will now deal with the Sugar Bill.

On the Order of Business, under promised legislation, let us seek your guidance. On 19 February last the Taoiseach informed me, on the Order of Business, that the Milk Agency Bill would be introduced this session. In fact, in reply to my question the Taoiseach responded "certainly". Last week on the Order of Business the Taoiseach reneged on that commitment. What protection is there for members of this House in view of the Taoiseach's reneging on commitments entered into on the Order of Business in relation to promised legislation, or are we at the whim of the Taoiseach's promises in this regard, which can be withdrawn at will?

The Deputy will appreciate that words such as "reneging" and "whims" do not always serve the best interests——

The Chair should also appreciate that I have been misled by the Taoiseach in relation to promised legislation.

Deputy, you have asked a question. You have asked for my guidance and I am giving it to you——

But not a lecture.

Please resume your seat.

I am not interested in a lecture but in an answer.

I have indicated to you, Deputy, that the Chair has no control over matters such as that indicated by the Deputy and the Deputy knows, I would imagine, that that is the position as far as the Chair is concerned.

On promised legislation, let me ask the Taoiseach what is the difficulty in relation to the Milk Agency Bill, in view of the fact that it is one of the commitments entered into in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress.

There are no particular difficulties involved. It is just a question of the whole legislative procedure. There is an enormous amount of major legislation in the pipeline, and this Bill has to take its turn in the queue. It will be dealt with next session.

The Taoiseach entered into a commitment on the Order of Business on 19 February that it would certainly be introduced this session.

Barr
Roinn