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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 18 Nov 1993

Vol. 435 No. 11

Order of Business.

I am sure the House will take the opportunity of saying chomhghairdeachas to Jack Charlton and his team of national heroes——

Deputies

Hear, hear.

I thought the team of national heroes was over there.

——we share this partnership——

(Interruptions.)

——on their fantastic feat of qualifying in Windsor Park for the World Cup. They have certainly provided all of us with a focus for national pride and have uplifted the national morale. I congratulate both teams on a wonderful, sporting match.

They were not a bit sporting.

Let me say well done to the FAI, the management and team officials on behalf of the Irish nation.

Is that part of the national plan?

As is your wont, Sir, you have captured the spirit of the House in the multi-coloured and celebratory tie that you have chosen to wear this morning. You, more than any Member of the House, have got the spirit of jubilation that all of us experience at this tremendous result. I would like to join with the Taoiseach in conveying to Jack Charlton and to the entire team of the Irish Republic the utmost congratulations of all Members of the House on their success and the fact that we will now be represented in the World Cup finals in the United States. In particular, I know the House would wish to congratulate Alan McLoughlin, who did wonders for the heart condition of many Members of the House by what he was able to achieve in such glorious fashion. However, it is in a sense unfortunate that it had to be in a match with the other part of this island that we suceeded in becoming finalists in the World Cup.

It would be inappropriate if the House did not also convey its congratulations and best wishes to Billy Bingham on his retirement from the management of the Northern Ireland squad and also congratulate the Northern Ireland team on the very efficient football they played yesterday and express the hope that, under whatever guise, the next time there is a World Cup final both parts of Ireland will be represented there.

I too would like to join with the Taoiseach and the leader of Fine Gael in congratulating the Irish team on their great win and on going forward to the World Cup. I also congratulate their supporters. There were five teams from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and it is great that we are the ones going through.

The Taoiseach has surpassed the former Taoiseach in the speed with which he went to welcome the team back. I am not being critical in saying that. I am delighted the Taoiseach went to welcome the team back, even though they returned in the early hours of the morning. I was very pleased to see the Taoiseach there with Jack Charlton and the Irish team. It shows that politicians are quite human, that we do watch games, are not serious-minded all the time and are delighted to join in the fun and the celebrations for this great team that is representing us in the World Cup. I hope they do extremely well, and I hope the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste succeeded in getting enough visas for all of the fans who want to go and watch them play.

I obviously want to join with everybody here in expressing congratulations to the Republic of Ireland team and, indeed, to the Northern Ireland team on the battle that they put up in order to stop us from getting to Boston. The result we got last night was probably the best we could hope for, a one-all draw which enables us to go to Boston and Billy Bingham to go out with some respect in terms of the game that was played.

He disgraced himself.

My only wish is that the manager of the team opposite us here will give us something close to the same result over the next few years in terms of the economy of this country.

On behalf of the Green Party I want to add my words of congratulations to the boys in green, given the natural affinity that I feel with them, and congratulate both teams, both wearing the honourable colour, who did so well on the field in such a tense atmosphere which was quite palpable even from this part of the country. We wish them all the best and hope that both parts of Ireland can take pride in the participation of Jack Charlton, an Englishman, along with many Irish people and people of mixed extraction who will go to represent the Republic in America.

Deputy S. Ryan rose.

The airport is in the Deputy's constituency.

On behalf of the Labour Party and as a supporter of the Irish team——

Last night anyway.

——on all occasions, I congratulate Jack Charlton and the Irish team on what they have achieved. For the past number of years the Irish team has given great service to this country. It is fitting that the team qualified for the World Cup and that is a fitting finale for many of the members of the team whose careers in football are near an end. I hope they achieve further success in America. I ask the Government to ensure that sufficient visas will be made available to allow their supporters — our ambassadors — travel to America.

I understand only three member states of the EC require visas for their citizens to travel to America, one being the Republic of Ireland. Would the Taoiseach not consider negotiating a bilateral agreement to make that requirement no longer necessary?

The Tánaiste is in Washington and has had discussions on this matter. At my first meeting with the US Ambassador to Ireland, Ms Jean Kennedy-Smith, when she asked what she could do for Ireland, I said that one of the first things she could do would be to ensure that Ireland had a sufficient supply of visas for our supporters. That is a mark of the confidence I had in our team.

Visas should not be required at all.

We should be looking for 300,000 permanent visas.

Does the Deputy want one?

Fifteen will do.

Had the Northern Ireland team qualified last night the Northern Ireland supporters would not require visas to travel to the United States, but the supporters in the Republic will require visas. This point should be stressed by the Tánaiste while he is visiting Washington. I note the Taoiseach is looking for his place on the team. Would he like first reserve or captain of the team?

On behalf of the Gaelic playing fraternity, I would also like to congratulate the Irish team and I hope that in the not too distant future the soccer fraternity and the Government would discuss the provision of a stadium.

The Deputy should say that to Peter Quinn.

It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 shall be taken without debate; the resumed debate on the Second Stage of No. 11, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 4.45 p.m.; the Dáil shall observe a one minute silence at 1 p.m. today for peace in Northern Ireland; and business shall be interrupted at 4.45 p.m. today.

Is the proposal that Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 be taken without debate satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 11 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal that there shall be a one minute silence at 1 p.m. agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal that business shall be interrupted at 4.45 p.m. today agreed? Agreed.

In view of the fact that Governments of which the Taoiseach has been a member have made Programme for Economic and Social Progress type agreements with the social partners a centrepiece of their economic strategies since 1987, when does he propose to allow the Dáil debate the apparent breakdown of discussions leading towards such an agreement last night?

The matter to which the Deputy refers is strictly not appropriate to the Order of Business. There are many other ways of raising that matter.

The Chair has allowed statements on this matter to be raised on a number of occasions. This is an important matter because the Government has made the Programme for Economic and Social Progress the centrepiece of its economic strategy.

I am sure Deputy Bruton will find a suitable time to raise that matter.

I was not going to ask for a debate on the matter because that may or may not be helpful. I want to be helpful to the Taoiseach, but he does not believe that. Will the Taoiseach indicate if it is still the Government's intention to resurrect the discussions with the social partners?

I have ruled on the matter.

It is an important national and political issue.

It is a very important matter and for that reason it should be dealt with in accordance with the precedents and rules of this House.

I ask the Chair to give to this matter half the flexibility he gave to the discussion on the football match earlier.

We are not trying to make this issue a political football.

I wanted also to raise the question of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress and the 1 per cent levy. In view of the promise given by the Minister for Finance that he intends at some point to abolish the 1 per cent levy, which will require legislation, will the Taoiseach indicate——

Will the Deputy indicate the nature of the legislation promised?

The promised legislation is in respect of abolishing the 1 per cent levy over a period of years.

Is legislation promised in this regard?

It is promised and I would ask the Taoiseach to indicate if he intends to reopen negotiations——

The Deputy is seeking to circumvent my earlier ruling in this matter.

——to discuss further the promised abolition of the 1 per cent levy?

The House is aware that this is a budgetary matter and it is not the practice to refer to items that may or may not appear in any particular budget. I am surprised Deputy Bruton seeks a debate on this matter. Does he want to have the opportunity to vote against central pay bargaining as his party has done since 1987?

We want to have the opportunity to vote against the 1 per cent income levy, which is an eloquent expression of the high taxation policies which will always occur when Fianna Fáil and Labour are in Government together.

Is there any other relevant matter on the Order of Business?

I would like to raise a separate matter. In view of the important statement made by the Tánaiste relating to Northern Ireland yesterday in the United States, is it intended to have a discussion in the Dáil relating to that statement and Government policy in that regard? The Tánaiste made a detailed statement in the United States and it would be appropriate to have a debate in this House.

I understood the Matrimonial Home Bill was ordered for today. It was to come back from the Seanad for amendments to be dealt with in the Dáil but it was not on the list the Taoiseach read. When will the Bill be taken in the House?

Perhaps Deputy Shatter was looking at the match. I am surprised he did not know that Bill was finished in the House yesterday.

It was not finished.

Will the Taoiseach indicate when the long promised ethics in Government Bill will be published?

Every week I say it will be published before Christmas.

Will the Taoiseach indicate if the Government will bring forward proposals on occupier's liability this term?

No, they will not be prepared in time for this session.

I would like the Taoiseach to share with us one of his best kept secrets. On what date will the urban elections be held next year?

The Minister for the Environment will make that announcement in due course. The Deputy need not worry; the elections will be held around the expected time.

That is as close as we got to an answer. Will the Taoiseach indicate when the necessary legislation, which has been promised, on reform of urban local government will be published?

In the next session.

Did I hear the Taoiseach correctly that the occupiers of land Bill will not be before the House in this session? Last week he promised me that it would definitely be taken in this session.

A week is a long time.

Sometimes a day is a long time. I did not promise that the Bill would be introduced in this session. I said it would probably be taken in the next session.

It is on the record.

I want to move on to the Order of Business proper.

Will the Taoiseach indicate the timeframe for publication of the education Bill?

As the Deputy knows, a White Paper must be first published and I am not yet in a position to give an exact date.

When will the White Paper be published?

I am not in a position to give an exact date.

Is the Taoiseach aware that school building is being held up because the management structure cannot be decided until the Government puts a date on publication of the White Paper?

The Taoiseach said that the public liability Bill will not be introduced this session, even though we received a list of legislation, including this Bill, to be published during this session. Will the Taoiseach indicate what other Bills will not be published during this session? There is a lengthy list of Bills that have not yet appeared and clearly the Government is falling behind in this regard.

If the Deputy puts down a question on the matter I would be delighted to outline the Bills involved.

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