It is proposed to take No. 9. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the proceedings on Second Stage of No. 9 shall be brought to a conclusion at 4.30 p.m. today.
Order of Business.
Is that proposal satisfactory? Agreed.
On the Order of Business yesterday I raised the question of the local loans fund. I thank the Minister for Finance for making his officials available to finally clarify the matter: that there has been no sale, that no ingenious financial methods have been adopted, that it constitutes straight public sector borrowing. This marks a cynical change having regard to what was announced here last week——
I am anxious to facilitate the Leader of the main Opposition party but he must have regard to what is appropriate at this time.
At least I received the information and I thank the Minister for this.
If the Deputy was on this side of the House we would still be waiting.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy should control himself; the Government is shuffling paper money.
If Deputy Byrne had any interest in the exchange rate policy of the Minister for Finance he would not follow that line. It appears that we have only seen two or three Bills since the Christmas break. Will the Taoiseach outline the Bills that will be published before Easter?
We have already given the Opposition a tabular statement setting out various elements of the Government's legislative programme and the approximate timings for the introduction of this legislation.
I acknowledge that we received a list of 49 Bills of which we have seen only two. As we approach the Easter recess this is not of much benefit. I can arrange for 49 of my colleagues to ask the Taoiseach question after question each morning but that would be a waste of his time and mine. During the weekend will he produce an updated list?
He should list them in order of priority.
The list provided to the Opposition is a serious one and we are proceeding in the normal way. All legislation has to be approved and the heads formed. It is then drafted, approved by the Cabinet and circulated. All the items on the list are proceeding through this process in the normal way. There is nothing unusual about this.
I do not think there should be a continued argument about this matter which can be clarified in so many other ways.
Let me ask the Taoiseach about a Bill which I know was ready last November. When will the Bill providing for the privilege and compellability of witnesses be circulated? He told me in January that it would be circulated within a fortnight.
If that Bill was ready last November it would have been introduced but it was not ready.
The Taoiseach told me in January that it was ready.
It is not ready but it is being worked on on a priority basis.
Given the implications for the appointment of the Judiciary and the training of judges when will the Courts and Court Officers Bill be introduced?
As the Deputy is aware, that Bill is before the House at present.
It is not. when the Government fell, the Bill fell.
When I asked the Taoiseach about this previously he said the Government was considering the Bill with a view to bringing forward amendments. Has the Government considered the amendments and when will we see the Bill in the form the Government wishes?
The Bill is on the Order Paper. If the Deputy is not satisfied about this, she should table a question to the Minister for Justice. She will then obtain information as to when those amendments are likely to be available.
Will the Taoiseach prioritise the 49 items of legislation on the list because on Tuesday the Tánaiste indicated at a meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body that the transfer of prisoners legislation would be published within two months. The next day the Taoiseach told the House that it would be published within one month. Which statement is correct? What are the Taoiseach's priorities for legislation to the end of this session?
As the Deputy undoubtedly understands, those statements are consistent, one month is within two months.
The Taoiseach is too smart by half.
When is it proposed to introduce legislation regarding Article 100C of the Maastricht Treaty in view of the fact that from next Monday Irish citizens will be discriminated against when travelling in the European Union? They will be unable to travel freely within six countries.
I would prefer the Deputy to deal with that matter in another way and my office will facilitate him to do so.
This matter is urgent in the light of next Monday's deadline.
Will the Taoiseach indicate when it is intended to bring forward the employment equality Bill to deal with discrimination in employment against people with disabilities? A report is being launched today which highlights the tremendous discrimination against people with disabilities. This is urgent legislation.
A Deputy
I thought women were being discriminated against.
I brought the test case.
This Bill will be available after the summer recess.
Is it the Government's intention to make a full statement to the House today, after the meeting between the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications and the ESB unions, in view of the Minister's escalation of the problem by his intervention?
I ruled yesterday in regard to that matter. There are other ways of raising these matters.
This matter is urgent and current.
A live issue.
(Interruptions.)
On the promised education Bill, will the Taoiseach give a timetable to the Opposition spokes-persons and to Members on when the Government intends to publish the Bill and, in particular, the White Paper on Education?
To which Bill is the Deputy referring?
The education Bill. Outside groups are being informed about this Bill but I have been asking questions about it in this House for weeks. Members should be told when it will be published.
The Bill, which will flow from the White Paper, is unlikely to be ready for presentation to the House until late this year.
Will the Taoiseach tell us whether the juvenile justice Bill will be published before Easter? I note that additional custodial places have been provided today for juveniles and while that is a key component it is only a small part of what needs to be put in place to tackle the problems of juvenile crime.
I compliment Deputy Quill for her persistence in this matter but when she raised it in the House two weeks ago I told her that the incoming Government was amazed to discover what little work had been done by the outgoing Government on the juvenile justice Bill. This Bill was at a very early stage of preparation when we came into office and, unfortunately, there is no chance of it being ready before Easter.
The Taoiseach is in power. This is a very serious issue.
The Deputy's party was in power when the Bill was first promised. When we came into office we found that nothing had been done about it.
That is an inaccurate statement.
This matter should not lead to argument or disputation.
The Taoiseach has made an inaccurate statement. For nine months I chaired a committee which produced a report that is the basis of the juvenile justice Bill.
Deputy Quill must restrain herself.
That is a fact but the Taoiseach is distorting the facts. He should apologise to me.
Deputy Quill may not continue.
The Taoiseach should apologise to me as chairperson of that committee.
A Bill was not produced.
The Deputy's interventions are a matter of continuous disorder.
On the specific promise in paragraph 84 of the Programme for Government, when can we expect to see the legislation to amend the Sanitary Services Act, 1962 to limit, as the programme states, the power of local authorities to cut off water supplies to people for non-payment of service charges.
The Deputy is raising another issue.
That was a specific promise in the Government's programme.
I rule on these matters. Has the Taoiseach a comment to make on the legislation aspect?
That legislation is at a very early stage of preparation.
About two years.
Minister Howlin has the good grace to blush.
(Interruptions.)
However, this matter, which was referred to in the Programme for Government, will be dealt with by the Government speedily and in the normal way.
Everyone will be cut off in the meantime.
The Taoiseach may like to know that Minister Rabbitte is telling his constituents not to bother paying. On the Courts and Court Officers Bill. I understood the Government intended to withdraw the Bill and re-present it. Will the Taoiseach clarify the position?
My understanding is that the Bill is on the Order Paper and that the amendments will be produced in the usual way. However, I would be happy to make further inquiries to confirm that.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Higgins, personally gave a copy of the Green Paper on Broadcasting to a journalist, yet Members of this House are still waiting the Green Paper to be officially published?
(Interruptions.)
Do not cry for me Argentina.
In the light of the Tánaiste's statement that there would be a fundamental review of the 1937 Constitution, will the Taoiseach advise the House the implications this will have for the planned referenda on divorce and bail?
Surely the implications should await the submission of the Bill?
The answer is "none".
Is the Taoiseach confirming that there will be a referendum in the autumn on the question of bail?
That matter will be decided by the Government in due course. There will be a referendum on the issue of divorce.
Will the Minister tell us whether, in the forthcoming Finance Bill, the Minister for Finance will deal with the problems being experienced by cross-Border workers? I am aware he has set up a committee to deal with this matter but will the committee report prior to the publishing of the Finance Bill?
Let us deal with that matter in the appropriate manner and in accordance with the procedures of this House.
I tabled a question to the Minister for Finance yesterday, the reply to which was that the matter was under consideration. I want to know if this matter will be dealt with in the Finance Bill.
The matter can be pursued in the ordinary way.
Will the Taoiseach give priority to the introduction of the control of horses Bill having regard to the grave problem that exists involving the abuse of horses in urban areas?
I cannot indicate when the legislation will be introduced. I understand it was stated in the House on 27 January that it was at a very early stage of preparation, and that remains the case.
Will the Taoiseach treat it as a priority?