It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 5, 10 and 11. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 5 shall be decided without debate.
Private Members' Business shall be No. 19.
Order of Business.
Is it agreed that item No. 5 shall be decided without debate?
Given that the technical group is not represented at the Whips meeting, could a short description of the motion be given for the information of Members?
They could not make up their minds.
Is it agreed that item No. 5 shall be decided without debate?
Can I be given an answer?
It is on the Order Paper but if the Deputy wishes to get more information on No. 5, he may go to the Whips office for it.
On item No. 1 on the Order Paper, what is the Government's intention in regard to this report? When will it be made available to Members and what are the procedures for its release? Is it intended to have a debate on it?
I understand it is being formally presented today and it is a matter for the Whips and this House to decide on how to proceed.
On a point of order, what is the procedure in regard to the release of this report, at what stage is it legally circulated to Members?
My understanding is that the committee will report to the House today and that the report will be circulated to Deputies in the normal way.
That is on today's agenda, we will come to it.
On a point of order, is it in order for officials or a Minister to have released this report to members of the press prior to this order being made in the House?
That will be dealt with after the Order of Business.
Sir, is it your understanding that No. 1 is to be taken without debate?
As I understand it, and it is subject to what the chairman of the committee wishes to state to the House, No. 1 is listed to be taken and there is no requirement for it to be taken without debate. It will be moved in the normal way.
I wish to assist the House; no copies of the report are to be circulated to anyone until the order is put before the House. After that copies will be circulated to all Members and to members of the press.
I wish to respond to the statement by the chairman of the committee.To my knowledge the report has already been circulated.
I want a simple ruling as to whether this report is being taken with debate, in other words are we to debate this report today?
The chairman of the sub-committee of the Select Committee on Legislation and Security will be asked to move item No. 1 after the Order of Business.
I am entitled to a fair answer, I have asked three times.
No debate will arise on it.
When will the Social Welfare Bill be published? Normally the Social Welfare Bill has been passed by mid March as various processes have to be put in place throughout the country.I understand that as yet no work has commenced on this and since there is no Government meeting until the end of the week we are running late. I presume that during the week of St. Patrick's Day there will be a limited Dáil session as usual. Are there, as has been reported, difficulties in Government about the Bill?
Work is proceeding very satisfactorily on the preparation for this Bill which is due to come before the Government shortly. It will be published immediately afterwards. It will be published in accordance with normal practice.
Normally it would be published around this time. Will it be published this week?
No, it will not be published this week, it will be published next week.
At the end of Question Time the Minister for Finance answered questions on the investment conference to be addressed by President Clinton which will take place from 24 to 26 May. In reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 19 and 36 on 23 February the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs said: "Deputies may be assured that representatives will be at a very senior political level and I expect to lead the Irish delegation myself". From that may I take it that the Taoiseach will not attend the investment conference at which the President of the United States will speak?
That matter has not been finally decided yet.
When will Dick decide?
We on this side of the House are trying to facilitate and help the Government in every way, in being involved in the organisation of this conference — if Deputies think the investment conference is a laugh, so be it. A colleague received a reply which states that the Tánaiste will lead the delegation but the Minister for Finance has said that no decision has been taken. Does that mean the reply received by my colleague is incorrect?
That is not a matter for debate now.
The Deputy asked a separate question as to whether the Taoiseach would be at the conference. That matter has not yet been decided but the Tánaiste will lead the deputation.
Will the acting Taoiseach inform the House when the Government proposes to introduce legislation to bring to trial hearings of incest cases other than in secret?
The matter will be brought to the Government very shortly.
Is the Minister aware of a second case of incest reported in today's newspapers?
Arising from the horrendous incest case in the west before the courts last week, will the Government hold an inquiry into the failure of certain State agencies to intervene successfully and rescue the children who were the victims of that horrendous brutality?
That can be dealt with otherwise.
It is very serious.
Given that the Minister for Finance is also Minister for the Public Service does he wish to comment on the Taoiseach's allegations last week regarding senior public servants?
That is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Will the Government declare south Galway a disaster area in view of the ongoing tragedy for those whose houses have been flooded and who have lost their property? This is a very serious matter. The Minister will realise that Ministers, party leaders and Deputies have called for the problem to be looked at but there is no evidence of action having been taken. This is a very serious matter for the people of south Galway.
The Deputy will know this is not appropriate at this time. It can be dealt with in another way.
This is a crisis for people throughout the west, particularly in south Galway.
The Deputy is raising a matter which is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
The Minister wishes to comment.
It is not in order for him to do so.
When is it proposed to introduce the Bill regarding prompt payment to small businesses?
Fairly soon.
In reply to a question by Deputy Molloy I said the legislation on incest would come to the Government very quickly. In fact, it will be published very quickly.
The Minister did not reply to my question.
Was it on promised legislation?
Yes.
The proposed legislation is being examined in the Department at present.
That sounds as if it is at a very early stage of preparation.
At what stage of preparation is the Bill dealing with the control of horses? Wandering horses cause hassle and inconvenience to residents in many suburban areas. When will the Bill be introduced?
It is at an early stage of preparation.
A draft Bill was prepared by the ISPCA. Will that be used as the basis for the legislation? Everyone concerned regarded that as a solution to the problem. I do not think there is a need for exhaustive work to be carried out on the Bill.
I understand the Department is examining the draft legislation at present and is engaged in consultations to ensure that it is well drafted and adequate.
Has any progress been made on the publication of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Bill?
The matter is being treated as urgent and the Department hopes to be in a position to publish the Bill shortly.
It has been transferred to the Minister of State.
When will the Government publish the Bill amending the Arterial Drainage Act in view of the flooding in south Galway?
We have a Bill on that subject.
The Government should accept our Bill.
Work is proceeding in the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works on that as a matter of urgency.
When will it be published?
As soon as possible. We are aware of the difficulties and of the fact that £2 million was made available in agricultural support and £4 million was made available for roads.
It will not benefit many people.
It will be published as soon as it goes to the printers.
Will the Minister convey to the Taoiseach our disgust at his remarks on public servants?
When will the governance of universities Bill be published?
Proposals are being prepared at present. I am not in a position to say when it will be published.
The control of the cost of insurance Bill was due to issue when the Minister was Minister for Enterprise and Employment. When is it proposed to bring it forward?
Capping insurance. The Minister must remember he spoke on radio about it.
I do and I remember the encouraging support we received from members of the public. Detailed work is ongoing in the Department and the Bill will be published as soon as possible.
Has the Minister for Enterprise and Employment received the consultants' report on the position in the Sunbeam plant in Blackpool, Cork? If so, what action will he recommend to save the jobs?
That is an excellent question which should be tabled in the ordinary way.
When will the review of the Official Secrets Act, promised in the Programme for Government, commence?Will it apply to speeches made by the Taoiseach?
Before the House proceeds to deal with item No. 1, I seek the direction of the Chair——
I asked a question about the Official Secrets Act.
Is it in order that the report referred to in item No. 1 should be circulated to the media before it is reported to this House, as has been the case?
I have no knowledge of that matter.
The report referred to in item No. 1 has been circulated, which makes a farce out of the regulations of the House. Prior to the Ceann Comhairle coming back to the Chair, the chairman of the committee assured the House that the report would not and could not be circulated until the order was made in the House.
Those Progressive Democrats cannot be trusted.
If the Deputy feels there is something irregular or wrong, he might refer it to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
I am bringing the matter to the notice of the Chair.
I advise the Deputy to bring it before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.