It is proposed to take No. 8, motion re. ministerial rota for parliamentary questions and No. 18, Education (No. 2) Bill, 1997 — Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 8 shall be decided without debate. Private Members' Business shall be No. 51, motion re. agriculture, and shall be taken between 5.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. today. In the event of the motion for the by-election in Cork South-Central being moved, it shall be taken without debate.
Order of Business.
There are three proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 8 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members' Business agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal in the event of the motion for the by-election in Cork South-Central being moved agreed? Agreed.
Has the Government any legislative measures in mind to deal with the extreme difficulties facing home buyers where prices are beyond the reach of people on ordinary PAYE incomes?
There is no particular legislation on this issue. The second part of the Bacon report is being implemented.
Given the Government's welcoming of the announcement by the Dublin Transportation Initiative that it will revise its proposals for dealing with the traffic chaos in the Dublin region and the explicit commitment given by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government that extra moneys will be made available for quality bus corridors and extra coaches for CIÉ and the DART, will the Taoiseach indicate whether the Estimates will be published early in order to indicate that these moneys will be made available or will we have to wait until 2 December before the allocation of an extra £26 million will be confirmed?
We have gone outside the Order of Business but it is appropriate to ask about the publication date for the Estimates.
Hopefully, the Estimates will be debated according to the normal rota if there is additional money. Much of the DTO short-term action plan covers issues which are already in the Estimates, particularly increased capacity of the Dublin Bus service; additional rolling stock; accelerating the implementation of the original 11 quality bus corridors; the cycle route network, 100 kilometres of which is to be put in place over the next two years; implementation of the parking strategy announced yesterday; the provision of park and ride facilities and improved traffic and road space management. The DTO is commencing a fundamental reappraisal of the DTI strategy which is due for completion. I will check with the Deputy what items should be included in a Supplementary Estimate, but many of them are included in the three year Estimate period.
I thank the Chair for allowing me to pursue this. Can I take it that the Government has no additional legislative proposals to accelerate or fast forward the measures it is contemplating to resolve the gridlock confronting this city?
Legislation will not resolve it.
Action is required.
It is action that is needed. The short-term plan put forward is designed to accelerate the implementation of the elements of the DTI strategy that can be completed in the period up to 2000 and to focus on public transport, enhancement of traffic management, parking policy and the provision and promotion of cycling facilities. The implementation of the DTO short-term action plan is required rather than legislation.
On promised legislation arising from the British-Irish Agreement, only two Bills appear on the list. Will the Taoiseach indicate if they are the only two Bills that will be necessary and will he circulate a list of expected legislation arising from the British-Irish Agreement? Will he indicate when legislation arising from the Commission on Human Rights will be introduced?
In addition to the legislation mentioned, there is also the nationality Bill and the human rights Bill. It is hoped to introduce the human rights Bill during this session. There was a list of promised legislation during the last session and I will make it available to the Deputy.
I want to ask the Taoiseach a question given that every other Minister seems to have been silenced and the Taoiseach is the only person allowed to speak for the Government. Will he confirm if the Government proposes to introduce a Supplementary Estimate to fund the special Donegal task force to ensure the jobs that are threatened in Fruit of the Loom can be replaced as quickly as possible? Will he tell the House when the workers will be taken out of their agony?
It would be more appropriate for the Deputy to table a question on that matter.
I can ask a question about a Supplementary Estimate. Will one be introduced to fund the special task force set up in Donegal?
If the Deputy were to stop asking me questions about everything, my colleagues would be able to answer her questions. Her question is a matter for the Minister concerned.
I am talking about outside this Chamber.
There is no by-election in Donegal.
The Tánaiste was in Donegal many times during the summer recess.
If jobs were threatened in Cork it would be another story. Eight hundred jobs have been announced for Cork.
The Tánaiste activated the necessary task force to find replacement jobs for the workers in Fruit of the Loom.
I want to take up the point raised by Deputy Quinn. The additional funding needed to cover the capital cost of the plan announced yesterday is £27 million and there is an annual operational cost of £20 million.
A question please, Deputy.
Does the Government intend to provide funding for this immediately or must we wait until the Estimates when it will be too late?
The Deputy should table a question on that matter. Deputies should confine themselves to matters appropriate to the Order of Business. There are approximately 20 Deputies offering and I can only take items appropriate to the Order of Business.
(Dublin West): On the Appropriations Bill, will the Taoiseach indicate if it is envisaged that an amendment to the Finance (No. 2) Act will be introduced to curb the continuous outrageous and immoral profiteering in the housing market given that the provisions in that Act have failed to do so?
The Deputy can only ask about legislation that is promised.
(Dublin West): The Appropriations Bill, 1998, is promised.
That Bill does not deal specifically with housing.
It deals with appropriation not expropriation.
(Dublin West): The Chair is being unfair.
The Deputy is out of order. The reality is that if Deputies were allowed to ask about legislation they would like introduced, questions about all legislation would be allowed on the Order of Business. The Order of Business is specific and the duty of the Chair is to abide by the rules of the House in regard to it.
(Dublin West): I asked about the Appropriations Bill.
The Deputy asked about housing legislation he would like introduced.
I understand the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is visiting UN personnel in Cyprus. I wish to ask a question about the promised legislation to protect UN personnel serving abroad. The Taoiseach will be aware I mentioned in the House that 75 Irish personnel have died while serving with the UN abroad. The promised legislation to give effect to the convention cannot come into effect until 20 member states have ratified it. Will the Taoiseach indicate why that promised legislation is not on the list, given the dangers that arise for our personnel serving abroad?
That is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
It is promised legislation.
As I explained to the Deputy before, it does not arise until the cumulative number of states ratify the convention.
When will the Bill be ready?
In view of the fact that the Government has no legislative proposals to deal with the housing crisis, has the Taoiseach any plans to introduce a Supplementary Estimate?
The Deputy should table a question on that matter.
I am entitled to ask about a Supplementary Estimate on the Order of Business. Is it planned to introduce a Supplementary Estimate to deal with the appalling housing crisis given that people cannot buy, rent or get a house from a local authority?
The Deputy may not ask a question about a Supplementary Estimate in that way.
I am asking about Dáil business. Has the Government any plans to bring forward proposals to deal with the housing crisis during this session?
Has the Dáil any proposals to bring Supplementary Estimates before the House?
I am not aware of any proposed Supplementary Estimates. The Deputy will be aware we have a record number of more than 40,000 house completions this year.
There is a record list of people on the housing list. The Government has no proposals to deal with the housing crisis.
Deputy Gilmore, please resume your seat. I call Deputy Richard Bruton.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the school attendance legislation, which is a matter of priority for him. I note it will not be introduced this autumn as promised. Why has it been relegated from the Government's list of priorities?
The Deputy should ask a question.
Will the Taoiseach indicate why legislation that was mooted to require reform in 1970 has not been introduced given that the legislation was ready to be introduced when the previous Government left office?
The Taoiseach is too busy with photo shots.
It is hoped it will be ready before the end of the year. There are approximately 40 heads in the Bill. It is designed to update the law on compulsory attendance. I would like to see it published before Christmas, if possible.
The Taoiseach said in May that it would be ready before the autumn and it is now the autumn.
There should be less photo shots and more work.
There should be less standing in the middle of green fields.
It was promised that the Local Government (No. 2) Bill would be enacted before the end of this year, but it is now on the list to be published some time next year. Local government reform was passed by the previous Government in its reform programme. Will the Taoiseach indicate if this legislation will be enacted in advance of the local elections next year or is it intended to postpone the elections yet again?
There are approximately 150 heads in that Bill and it is proposed that comprehensive legislation will be passed in the centenary year of local government.
It was promised for the end of this year.
It will be early next year. It will modernise local government legislation and implement a range of reform measures.
It was approved by the previous Government.
The date for the local elections is already known.
Will the Taoiseach confirm the date for the budget? Will he indicate when the 1999 Book of Estimates will be published? Does he intend to arrange a debate on the Book of Estimates in advance of the budget?
The budget date is Wednesday, 2 December. I do not have a specific date for the publication of the Book of Estimates. However, it will appear in the normal way, well in advance of the budget.
Is there much infighting?
The Estimates will be debated in the House in the usual manner.
The Taoiseach is going backwards.
A Deputy
Happy Christmas.
Maidir le reachtaíocht atá geallta, an gcuirfidh an Rialtas Bille na Gaeilge os comhair na Dála sa téarma seo?
Regarding promised legislation, does the Government intend to introduce the long awaited Irish language Bill during this session?
Notwithstanding the passage of the Bill on 2 September, what progress has been made on the review of the Offences Against the State Acts, 1939 to 1985, as promised in the British-Irish Agreement?
The first part of the Deputy's question is in order.
An Bille na Gaeilge is due to be ready early next year. Its purpose is to provide a framework for the delivery of State services bilingually or through the medium of the Irish language. The legislation may be ready by the end of the year but it is more likely to be the spring.
I wish to ask a brief supplementary question.
The Deputy may ask another question on legislation or the Order of Business.
Is maith an rud é go bhfuil obair tosaithe ar an mBille ach is ró-fada é an mhoill go lár na bliana seo chugainn.
I welcome the fact that the work has begun. However, the deferment of the introduction of the Bill until mid-1999——
That is not relevant to the Order of Business. I call Deputy Jim Higgins.
In light of the report of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge last week, is there not the wherewithal to bring forward the legislation?
I ask Deputy Ó Caoláin to resume his seat.
(Mayo): I wish to ask the Taoiseach about three important Bills in the justice area which were expected to be on the schedule for this session but which have not appeared. During the summer there were prison escapes, deaths in prison and chaos and overcrowding in prisons. What is the position regarding the Bill relating to the Prison Service? On 26 March 1997——
I ask the Deputy to confine himself to questions about legislation. Other Deputies wish to ask questions in relation to the Order of Business.
(Mayo): I will do so, but this is relevant. In 1997 an expert review group made recommendations and produced the heads of a Bill. Why is that not on the list of legislation to be taken this session in view of the chaos in the Prison Service?
What is the position regarding the attachment of earnings Bill given that a quarter of the people who go to prison are sentenced for non-payment of fines?
Regarding the regulation of the private security industry, at present any criminal can set up a private security firm. There is no register or regulations and one does not need a licence.
A question please, Deputy.
(Mayo): These three promised Bills should be given priority.
I do not have a specific date for the introduction of the attachment of earnings Bill. It is an early stage of preparation.
Regarding legislation in relation to the private security industry, the Government approved a proposal on 27 July to give legislative effect to the recommendations contained in the report of the consultative group on the private security industry. Arising from that, consultation is now taking place.
The Prison Service Bill will place the establishment of a prison board, a parole board and a prison inspectorate on a statutory basis. A memorandum will be submitted to the Government next month on the establishment of the interim arrangements for the prison authority.
The Bill relating to fundraising for charitable and other purposes has a peculiar status in that other priorities have been appended to it.
A question on the legislation please, Deputy.
Given that the report on which the Bill is based was published in 1990, why has the legislation not come before the House sooner? It is still difficult to know what societies and organisations have charitable status. The Bill should be published urgently.
That is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
The date of publication of the Bill is relevant.
That is not what the Deputy mentioned.
That is my interest in the matter. I was promised in 1993 that the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill would be published later that year. Once again it has slipped off the schedule, although it was promised for the autumn. Will the Bill be published this autumn?
The Fundraising for Charitable and Other Purposes Bill will reform the law in relation to the administration and regulation of charities along the lines of the recommendations of the Costello committee report on fundraising. Work on a general scheme is proceeding and the Department will make it available as soon as possible. I do not have an exact date but it will be next year before it is available.
The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill will update the Act and improve the laws governing the protection of habitats and species. The autumn of 1998 is still a possibility for the publication of the legislation.
What is causing the delay in the publication of the Youth Work (Amendment) Bill? This legislation was prepared during the term of the previous Government.
A question on the legislation only please, Deputy.
It was supposed to be published last autumn, then after Christmas and then before the summer. It is now the autumn.
I appeal to Deputies not to make commentaries on their questions. I ask them only to put questions. A number of Deputies are offering. I want to facilitate them all but I may be unable to do so.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the lack of resources for youth organisations as a result of the lack of funding provided by the Minister?
The Bill will be published early next year.
Regarding the proposed legislation on the private security industry, the Minister said on 16 June last when this matter was raised——
A question on the legislation only please, Deputy.
I will do my best to ask it if the Chair gives me an opportunity. In June the Minister replied to——
Deputy Farrelly, it is not necessary to give a commentary on your question.
The Deputy wants to contextualise it.
He wants to explain it.
I wish to remind the Taoiseach of the reply given by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 16 June that consultation with his Government colleagues was complete. Will the legislation come before the House before Christmas?
Has the Government approved the £4,000 cost of the allocation of medals by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to serving members of the Garda Síochána with the UN?
On 27 July the Government approved a proposal to give legislative effect to the recommendations of the report of the consultative group on the private security industry. Work on that is proceeding but the legislation will not be ready by Christmas. It will be published next year.
The Minister promised it.
I wish to raise a matter on which the Taoiseach previously gave an undertaking. He said during the debate on the Bill relating to the television coverage of major sporting events, which was introduced in Private Members' Time, that a broadcasting Bill would be forthcoming which would deal with that matter. The broadcasting Bill has been promised for this year but the issue of the television coverage of major sporting events has been put off until 1999. Will the Taoiseach outline the reason for treating these matters separately? Given that contracts with private predatory agencies, such as Sky Television, will be signed before the end of this year, why has the Bill been deferred until 1999?
The Government does not want to touch it.
Cén fáth a bhfuil moill ag baint leis an mBille chun Tithíocht Gaeltachta a leasú?
It was decided that the television coverage of major sporting events should be dealt with in a separate Bill. The legislation will also transpose Article 3A of the EU directive which is designed to ensure that coverage of major sporting events is open to television. The Bill may also include provisions to implement other parts of the directive. It was decided to keep it separate from the broadcasting legislation but it is relatively short, containing approximately ten heads of a Bill. It is a question of the time available because already 20 Bills are due to be taken during this session. The Minister has prioritised the broadcasting Bill and it will be taken during this session. The heads of the Housing (Gaeltacht) (Amendment) Bill are being drafted and will probably be ready for submission to the Government next month but it will be early next year before the Bill is published.
It was indicated in the Finance Bill that the Minister for Finance would seek the permission of the European Commission to provide tax concessions for rural renewal. Why has this not happened?
It has.
It must have happened since the All-Ireland final.
The Deputy should table a question about the matter.
The debate on the Children Bill is due to resume shortly. To have an informed debate it is important that Members have access to the Laxton report which was produced during the summer.
Does the Deputy have a question appropriate to the Order of Business?
The Minister of State, Deputy Fahy, has suppressed the report——
It is not appropriate to ask about reports on the Order of Business.
To have an informed debate will the Taoiseach ask the Minister of State to make the report available to Members?
The Deputy should table a question about the matter.
I will check the matter for the Deputy.
When will the Bill dealing with Irish non-registered companies be published? Is the Taoiseach aware that the Tánaiste has taken off again after single mothers?
That matter is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Will the Taoiseach repudiate the Tánaiste's efforts to take 8,000 people off the community employment scheme?
The text of the copyright and related rights Bill is under discussion in the office of the Attorney General.
What is the current position on an ombudsman for children?
As I have said to the Deputy previously, that matter is being considered by the Minister.
The Government has given a commitment.
It has.
We can take it from the Taoiseach's silence on the attempts to take 8,000 people off the community employment scheme——
Does the Deputy have a question appropriate to the Order of Business?
I do but it is worth noting the Taoiseach's silence on the issue.
The Deputy may not do so on the Order of Business. He will have other opportunities.
Will the Taoiseach clarify his earlier reply regarding legislation arising from the British-Irish Agreement? Two Bills dealing with the constitutional amendments and prisoner releases have been passed. Two others have been promised for the autumn. Will legislation be introduced to provide for the establishment of the British-Irish Council and North-South bodies or other aspects of the Agreement? Will the Taoiseach circulate the list of legislation which the Government believes is necessary to implement the Agreement?
I will provide the Deputy with a list of the legislation required.
We would all like a list.
I will make it available through the Whips. The report to which the Deputy and Deputy Rabbitte referred was prepared by a team of consultants. It will be launched in the next few days for discussion with the social partners. It does not contain the Tánaiste's proposals.
May I ask a brief supplementary?
No, the Deputy will have another opportunity to raise the matter.
It is our first day back.
I have been more than generous.
It will only take 30 seconds.
The Deputy should allow Deputy Fitzgerald to proceed.
Given the lack of consultation and the confrontational approach adopted by the Government to barracks closures in Fermoy, Ballincollig, Naas, Kildare and Castleblaney during the summer——
Does the Deputy have a question appropriate to the Order of Business?
——what action does the Taoiseach intend to take to ensure there is consultation with local communities about the future use of these valuable State resources, lands and buildings? Does he intend to introduce a package of measures, including legislation, to address this important issue which has been appallingly mishandled for members of the Defence Forces and their families?
That matter is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Number 37 on the published list of legislation is the ground rents Bill, the purpose of which is to abolish ground rents. On the status of the Bill, the following words are used, "other priorities being attended to in the Department." Does this mean the Bill has been dropped, that it is being taken by another Department or that we will never see it?
In the last two sessions the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has sponsored an enormous amount of legislation.
We said there should be separate Departments.
There are 50 Bills in total. I cannot indicate, therefore, when the Bill will be ready——
What was the Attorney General's response?
Having examined the Bill the previous Attorney General advised that at the very least there were serious constitutional doubts about its purpose.
What was the current Attorney General's response?
He is looking at it.
The Government has promised to regularise the position in regard to land annuities. Since the Taoiseach recognises farmers are in a financial crisis——
It would be unfair to anticipate the debate that will take place tonight.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the Minister for Agriculture and Food has initiated legal action against many farmers——
That matter is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Legislation will not be introduced until mid-1999.
The Deputy should table a question about the matter.
Number 34 on the published list of legislation is the Equal Status Bill which is now due to be published in 1999. It was due to be published in the autumn. Given that the Employment Equality Bill has been passed by the Oireachtas what is the reason for the delay?
The Government agreed on 19 June to the drafting of the new Bill modified to take account of the Supreme Court judgment and subject to consultation with the Attorney General. It will be published late this year or early next year.
I am sure everybody was as shocked as I was to learn that 18 further bodies have been discovered in Kosovo with their throats slit. Some of the children were as young as four. Approximately 25 per cent of the population of Kosovo have been affected by attempts at ethnic cleansing. There is a motion on the Order Paper in the name of Deputy O'Malley which deals with the issue of human rights, including the right to life. Will the Taoiseach make time available for an early debate on Kosovo?
Yes, I will try to do that. We have had a number of tragic events in Kosovo over the summer. I will arrange for the Whips to meet to discuss that.
Lest the House become even more irrelevant to the needs of ordinary people——
Deputy Ryan did his best to get back in here.
——will the Taoiseach arrange for a debate on legislation to deal with the housing crisis?
This is not appropriate as that matter has already been dealt with on the Order of Business.
Those are the real issues.
When will the Sports Council legislation and the Copyright Bill be dealt with?
The Sports Council legislation will be dealt with in this session and the Copyright Bill will be dealt with next year.
Has the Taoiseach given any thought to the appointment of the next European Commissioner?
Deputy Rabbitte has.
Is Deputy Rabbitte interested?
That is not appropriate.
No.