This time last year I introduced a Bill relating to the protection of land occupiers. It was rejected on the grounds that the Minister for Equality and Law Reform would introduce a similar Bill immediately.
Order of Business (Resumed).
I must dissuade the Deputy from making a speech.
It is a fact.
May I ask the Taoiseach——
I am ruling on the matter, Deputy. If the Deputy is asking a question in respect of promised legislation he should do so.
That is what he is doing.
In relation to the Taoiseach's cheap trip to the United States, he should have gone first class instead of taking the cheap fare.
(Interruptions.)
Obviously the Taoiseach is not interested in what I want to ask him.
The noise is coming from the other side of the House.
When does the Minister intend introducing a Bill on occupiers liability?
Has this measure been promised?
I still have not received a report from the Law Reform Commission but as soon as we do we will start proceedings on the legislation.
A Deputy
Will that be in five years' time.
In scheduling the introduction of the ethics Bill has the Taoiseach drawn the attention of his Ministers to the all-party report of the Dáil Committee on the disbursal of lottery funds which recommended that such funds should not be disbursed by Ministers but allocated by——
I am sorry, Deputy——
It is clear the Government intends using this as a slush fund, in breach of all-party recommendations.
The Deputy can raise that in many other ways.
I do not know where ethics in Government has gone to.
On the issue of legislation, may I raise a matter which is of grave concern to many genuine charities? As the Taoiseach is aware, there are many bogus charities sponging on the generosity of the public and giving genuine charities a bad name. In the Costello report published five years ago a commitment was given to the introduction of a charities and street collections Bill to tighten up procedures in that regard. Can I have a commitment that this important legislation will be introduced in the near future?
It is in the early stages of preparation.
A Cheann Comhairle, I am requesting you, on behalf of the Government, to convene an immediate meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to consider Deputy Jim Mitchell's remarks during the Second Stage of the Solicitors Bill on Wednesday last, his subsequent personal statement and the implication of those statements and his actions for the Houses of the Oireachtas and other institutions of the State.
If the House so agrees, I will put the necessary arrangements in train.
I am glad the Taoiseach has taken the advice I offered him.
(Interruptions.)
I thought we could spare the House having to deal with those matters by a simple matter of the Deputy admitting he was wrong. However, we must now go through the full procedures.