It is proposed to take Nos. 13 and 14. It is also proposed, subject to the agreement of the House that: (1) business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m.; (2) the proceedings on the Second Stage of No. 13, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 5 p.m. and the Minister for Social Welfare shall be called on not later than 4.30 p.m. to conclude the debate and (3) Private Members' Business shall be No. 31, Motion 50. The opening speech and the speech in reply shall not exceed 20 minutes and ten minutes respectively and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. today.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal for the late sitting until 10.30 p.m. agreed?
I would like to take this opportunity to oppose the Order of Business for today. This is a protest against the failure by the Government to advance environmental legislation in this House.
That should be adequate, Deputy.
Can I explain why I am opposing the Order of Business?
No, not now. I take it that the proposal for the late sitting is agreed. Agreed. Are the arrangements for dealing with No. 13 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members' Business satisfactory? Agreed.
In respect of promised legislation will the Taoiseach ensure that the proposed education Bill will deal definitively with the problem of responsibility for young offenders, in view of the fact that judges are repeatedly indicating that young people who are a danger to the community have to be released because of the lack of a secure place to keep them?
I do not think the education Bill is the legislation to deal with that matter.
Some Bill had better deal with it.
Without becoming contentious I would ask the Taoiseach, in view of the fact that this is a serious social problem and that there are three Ministers involved, to exercise his own interest and have the matter dealt with quickly.
Let us be clear about the legislation involved.
The question is being dealt with as a matter of urgency.
In view of the fact that this House is due to rise on Friday, and of the alarming remarks made by the president of the Bundesbank yesterday, and of the obvious concern on all sides of the House in relation to the development of European affairs, will an opportunity be provided in this House to debate these matters before we rise?
It is not a matter for the Order of Business. Perhaps it might be one for the Whips.
It is one of extreme importance and urgency to this House and this country.
The Chair seeks to apply the rules at this time of the day, no more and no less.
May I venture one comment? We are all fortunate that the future of Europe will be decided by politicians and not by bankers.
May I ask the Taoiseach when he intends to introduce legislation enabling the free port of Cork to compete with Shannon and the Dublin finance centre? As we have seen this morning, the Cork free port has been described as a white elephant. Without the necessary financial incentives, equivalent to Shannon and Dublin, it will not develop.
Is legislation promised in this area?
It is legislation that is required to enable the project stand on its own feet.
Deputy Jim O'Keeffe has been offering.
There is 5 per cent unemployment in Cork and the Government are not adequately dealing with the problem of the free port.
Please, Deputy Allen, desist. Deputy O'Keeffe has been called.
Surely we are entitled to an answer.
Please, Deputy Allen, I have asked you to desist.
Is legislation promised?
Resume your seat. Deputy O'Keeffe, I shall not call the Deputy another time.
You will appreciate, a Cheann Comhairle, I did not want to cut across my colleague.
The Chair is in control of this House.
I was looking for clarification as to whether legislation was promised in this regard but it now appears it was not promised to the people of Cork. I want to raise an issue with the Taoiseach in the light of the request by Deputy Spring for a debate on European union and the fact that the Taoiseach is not prepared to facilitate that request. I would like the Taoiseach to establish, as a matter of urgency, what is Government policy on this issue and will he confirm that a White Paper will be issued setting out that policy?
Not at this time, Deputy.
I would like to ask the Taoiseach in respect of two pieces of promised legislation what stage they are at and when they are likely to be circulated. The first relates to the promised establishment of legal aid on a statutory basis and the second relates to the long overdue amendment of the Solicitors Acts. This legislation has been promised for two and a half years.
Neither will be published this session.
Accepting that there are only two or three days left in this session, the Taoiseach's response does not take me by surprise. What stage are they at and when is it likely that they will be published?
I will inform the Deputy on that matter.
May I ask the Taoiseach when the Housing Bill will be circulated?
That matter has arisen quite a lot recently.
Not for some time.
It will not be circulated in this session.
I do not know whether it is open to me not to agree to the Order of Business. I have been very orderly in seeking to raise item No.1, the Second Interim Report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the Appropriation Accounts, 1987 but the House has not taken account of this report even though the matter has been on the Order Paper for a considerable time. I give notice, Sir, that I will have to try to raise this matter in another way, by not agreeing to the Order of Business or in some other manner, if the Whips do not soon come up with some timetable dealing with it.
Can the Deputy's request be acceded to?
Yes, I think it is a legitimate question, Deputy Gay Mitchell, as he rightly pointed out is always very orderly, and I recommend his exemplary behaviour to his colleagues.
May we proceed to——
Sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, the matter was discussed by the Whips, it could not be accommodated before the end of this session but I will have another word with them in deference to the Deputy's excellent, exemplary parliamentary behaviour.
Will the Taoiseach consider bringing the Dáil back next Tuesday for a one day full discussion on the crisis in relation to roads?
The Taoiseach does not use the roads.
Deputy Boylan will have to pursue that matter in the normal way.
Has the Taoiseach any idea of the condition of the roads?
It is not in order now. Deputy Boylan, are we to have a repeat of previous incidents?
No.
The Taoiseach travels by helicopter and yacht.
The House should not treat the condition of roads with levity as it is extremely serious. In that context — and in the context of promised legislation — have the Government plans to make an order, promised under the Civil Liability Act, to accept responsibility for damage to vehicles on roads, given that the Dáil has approved acceptance of such responsibility?
This is hardly in order now and the Deputy will have to find another way of raising the matter.