The Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs will commence consideration of the Committee Stage of the European Parliament Elections Bill, 1993. Private Members' Business shall be No. 12 and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 6 p.m. tonight.
Order of Business.
Are the proposals for dealing with Private Members' Business agreed? Agreed.
In view of the reports today that the Government's economic plan is running into some heavy weather in Brussels, would the Taoiseach agree that it might be useful to the Government and the national case if this plan were to be examined on a chapter by chapter basis by the Committee on Finance and General Affairs of the House so that it would go forward to Brussels with the detailed support and views of Members of the House in regard to those aspects of it where changes might be worth considering?
I do not think the Deputy should be too alarmed as examination of the plan is purely in its infancy. Such reports come all the time from Brussels. We will continue to do our business as the House would expect us to do it.
The Taoiseach told us that a few weeks ago, and look what happened.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that it would actually be useful if one of the committees of the House, some of which do not have much business this week, were to be asked to look, chapter by chapter, at this report so that when we are setting priorities for the next five or six years we will do so with a full understanding of the views of Members on all sides? A willingness on the part of the Government to do that would strengthen their case in Brussels. I ask the Taoiseach seriously to consider the suggestion, which is a useful one.
I am granting some licence in respect of committee matters, but we ought to avoid repetition.
I understand the committees have adequate work this week, but the Whips could discuss it and see if there are some aspects that could be looked at by some committees. I do not see how one committee could do it.
Will the Taoiseach accept that there is much confusion and uncertainty among the Nationalist community in the North because of the perception that the Government has rejected the Hume-Adams plan? If he accepts that, will he discuss with Mr. John Hume the desirability of publishing that plan so that the uncertainty and confusion can be put to rest?
I welcome the Deputy's conversion and U-turn from last week. However, if she listened to the chairman of the SDLP, Mr. Mark Durkan, she will be assured that no such confusion now exists.
What does the Taoiseach mean by conversion and U-turn?
Anybody who looked at and listened to Deputy Harney on "Prime Time" and then listened to her statement in Cork would find it very hard to reconcile both.
May I respond to that?
I am sorry, Deputy. We must not engage in argument or questioning at this stage.
I would draw the Taoiseach's attention to my remarks on Northern Ireland in this House last Thursday and in the previous week. There has been no change in my thinking. I am happy to support the Government when I think it is doing the right thing, and I think it is. I welcome the Tánaiste's six principles and the joint communiqué, and I am happy to give them my support. However, I do not like to see the Taoiseach being smart here this morning and trying to play politics and put people down when they are doing the right thing.
Hear, hear.
It is not a question of being smart, it is a question of fact. Anybody who looked at the programme I am talking about and at Deputy Harney's recent statement will find that there is a variety of change.
There is no change. The Taoiseach has certainly changed since he was at Bodenstown. He is one to talk about change.
Do not get annoyed.
They have all changed on that side.
Speaking of U-turns and conversions and in the context of Dáil reform, in respect of the cost of introducing electronic voting and the size of the Government majority, would the Taoiseach not consider allowing Deputy Brian Lenihan to do the counting in the House in future?
On a show of hands.
That deserves a round of applause.
Let us get down to more serious matters.
It could change the outcome of the decision on the no confidence debate.
Can the Taoiseach indicate to the House when the Book of Estimates will be published?
It will be published before the end of the session. I think I would be speaking for the vast majority of people in this House in welcoming Deputy Rabbitte's suggestion because we could all be assured that we would never get it wrong.
He could contradict himself and still not be wrong.
He actually has a straight face as he says it.
One page, and he could not count.
It all depends on whether the Taoiseach wants to be the supreme arbiter of what is right and wrong on all occasions.
In the context of current discussions on Northern Ireland, does the Taoiseach agree that the credibility and bona fides of his Government would be enhanced if the Bill to close the loopholes in our extradition laws were circulated? If so, could he tell us when we will see the publication of the Extradition (Amendment) Bill?
I have stated already that it will be brought forward during this session. I do not believe the credibility of the Government is in any way at stake or in question in relation to that aspect.
It has been three years in gestation.
Will the Taoiseach inform the House what is the status of the promised legislation, the subject matter of which Deputy Lenihan had such difficulty with during the weekend?
Is the Deputy afraid to say what the legislation is?
I am referring to the commitment in the Programme for Government to legislate for the X case.
As I said before, it is a matter for serious consideration and much reflection between the Departments involved and the Attorney General and that work is continuing.
May I ask you, Sir, on behalf of the House to send a message of congratulations to those involved with Ireland's fantastic success in the Melbourne Cup a week ago? It is the first time since this race was established 169 years ago that Ireland has won this major sporting event. It is only right that we, as elected Members, should send our congratulations to the owner, Michael Smurfit, the trainer, Dermot Weld and the jockey, Michael Kinane.
Did the Deputy have any money on the race?
And so say all of us.
When will the legislation to amend the Air Companies Act, which would deal with Aer Lingus's problem be circulated, now that discussions involving the unions are virtually completed?
It is in the early stages of preparation and we expect to publish it before the end of the session.
Will the Taoiseach indicate when a decision relating to the interpretative centres will be made? Last September the Minister of State promised that a decision would be made in respect of the interpretative centres in Wicklow and the Burren but so far all is quiet on the western front. There has been no indication of what has been decided or put forward by the Minister of State and at this stage people are becoming impatient and want to know the future role of the Office of Public Works in relation to interpretative centres and the two building sites.
I would be anxious for the Deputy to relate that to some form of legislation or committee work in the House.
It may require legislation but we do not know if this is the case until the Minister of State makes a statement.
I take the Deputy's word for that.
It does not require legislation and if the Deputy tables a question she will get the required information.
Does the Government intend to introduce legislation following the promised review of the Competition Act indicated by the Minister, particularly as it was shown to be deficient in dealing with cases such as the Irish Distillers takeover of the Cooley plant? Is there promised legislation to give the Competition Authority wider powers?
There is no promised legislation.
The Taoiseach is not interested in competition. The present legislation is not working, it is just tokenism.
I understand when the Minister introduced the legislation he undertook to introduce new reforming legislation after a period of review. This is a subject on which ministerial commitments have been made by this Government and its predecessor.
It should be pursued in the appropriate manner.
Will the Taoiseach indicate if legislation will be forthcoming on the matter covered in today's Cork Examiner, namely the announcement that the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Deputy Stagg, is setting up a working group to consider the abolition of service charges in local authorities? Is this a Government measure?
Deputy Rabbitte will find an opportunity to raise that matter at an appropriate time.
Sitting suspended at 10.55 a.m. and resumed at 4.30 p.m.