The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. 8, motion re Freedom of Information Act, 1997, Regulations – Draft; No. 26, motion re Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (resumed) and No. 27, Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) (No.3) Bill, 1999 [Seanad] Order for Report and Report and Final Stages. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, No. 8 shall be decided without debate. Private Members' business shall be No. 74, Motion re Nurses' Dispute.
Order of Business.
There is one question to put before the House. Is the proposal to deal with No. 8 agreed? Agreed.
What effort is the Taoiseach making to resolve the nurses' strike?
Before the Taoiseach answers that question, I will allow a question on the same subject from the leader of the Labour Party. That will be all the questions we will have on it in fairness to those who submitted the Private Members' motion.
It emerged on the "Morning Ireland" radio programme this morning that the Taoiseach appeared to have had a very pleasant encounter with a nurse at the Dublin County Finals yesterday in Parnell Park in which he assured her that something would be worked out. Perhaps he might share that particular insight with the rest of us.
Sorry, a brief question.
I have allowed a question from Deputy Bruton, leader of Fine Gael, and the leader of the Labour Party and I now call on the Taoiseach. Deputy Gormley will have an opportunity this evening to debate the issue.
We will not. Please, give us an opportunity to—
Deputy Gormley, we cannot deviate from the Order of Business.
Why does the Leas-Cheann Comhairle allow the other leaders to ask a question but the Green Party representative—
The Ceann Comhairle ruled last week that it was appropriate on certain matters that were relevant to allow the leader of the two major parties to ask questions.
That seems like discrimination.
All the efforts and negotiations in this matter are the collective responsibility of the Government. We are anxious that a process can be found as speedily as possible to deal with the issues raised by nurses with the Minister for Health and Children in recent weeks in a way that is consistent with social partnership. I have assisted in every way I can to find a way to deal with this, as have my colleagues. We welcome the willingness of the Nursing Alliance to work to achieve this and the statement that body made over the weekend. Present indications are that the health services are working in line with the emergency plans agreed with local strike committees. That is good and the negotiations of last week and this week have worked successfully. The Government will continue to monitor developments very carefully and the industrial relations issues, which I am up to date with all the time, are going on as well.
Why did the Government wait so long—
I would prefer if we did not debate this matter now as it is the subject of Private Members' time. On another issue, Deputy Bruton.
I know that but I have just one question. Why did the Taoiseach wait until the eve of the strike before meeting the nursing unions?
I wish to be in order, and as the Chair has pointed out, the Labour Party Private Members' motion is on this topic. It may be appropriate for me to give notice to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health and Children that the same question will be put to them so that they may have a chance to prepare a reply. Also, later tonight the Taoiseach should indicate the extent of the strike and what progress, if any, has been made in the discussions between Congress and representatives of the Department of Health and Children.
I am not allowing any more debate on this matter. We are moving on.
(Dublin West): We cannot have a serious debate if the Chair makes fish of one and flesh of the other as far as the Dáil–
There is a long-standing precedent regarding party leaders in the House and we will have an orderly Order of Business.
When Democratic Left was in existence it was allowed to speak—
Please, allow the Taoiseach to speak.
(Dublin West): On a point of order, the votes that Deputies Quinn or Bruton get and the votes I get are of equal value. Therefore, my voice in here is of equal value—
I appreciate that, Deputy Higgins, but that is not the issue. The issue is that we have an orderly Order of Business and there is a long-standing precedent that party leaders are allowed to ask questions.
On a point of order, the Chair said we would get an opportunity to speak about this matter later on. That is by no means certain, so I ask that we have an opportunity to raise the issue by way of—
The Deputy cannot raise this on the Order of Business. This matter is the subject of a one and a half hour debate tonight and tomorrow. I have ruled on the matter and I am not changing my ruling.
Deputy Gormley is not the only one worried about the nurses.
We will not get the opportunity to speak.
Allow the Taoiseach to reply.
The reply to Deputy Bruton's question is that for some weeks now the Government has endeavoured to convince the Nursing Alliance that these matters have to be dealt with within the ambit of social partnership and could not be dealt with in direct negotiations or taken in isolation from the other claims or from other unions which negotiated Partnership 2000. Thankfully, last Saturday an indication was given that they accepted that position, which allowed the Minister for Health and Children to state on Sunday that he accepted that and that if that case was made in a statement he would respond. On Sunday afternoon that statement was made, putting the dispute within the partnership arrangement. That allowed the Minister to have very meaningful discussions yesterday.
In relation to item 83 on today's Order Paper – a motion in the name of the Labour Party in relation to the Moriarty tribunal – has the spirit of that motion been accepted by the Government parties?
It is not appropriate to discuss the content of the motion.
In terms of advancing the decision of the House to have a full examination of matters relating to payments to politicians, it would greatly facilitate the House to know the attitude—
Please, the Deputy knows this is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Can the Taoiseach indicate—
It is not appropriate to the Order of Business, Deputy, to go into detail on a motion before the House.
On promised legislation that is not unconnected with previous exchanges, can the Taoiseach confirm the Nursing Bill is not due to be published until the middle of next year? In that regard, does he agree the current strike is not just about pay but about unsatisfactory status—
It is appropriate to ask about the nursing legislation.
The heads of the Bill are expected early next year and the legislation should be taken in the middle of next year.
Does the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach intend to make a personal statement to explain why he might have inadvertently misled the Dáil when he said—
This is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
It is about time. It is about whether he intends to seek time.
It is not appropriate to raise it on the Order of Business. The Deputy will have to find another way to raise this matter.
I am asking that given that the Government has published legislation that will be retrospective in effect, and since the Minister of State stated that could not happen, does he intend to take time to correct—
Is the Deputy asking about promised legislation?
It is legislation that will come before the House on Report Stage – the Companies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill – which proposes to state that under sections 19 or 20 of the Companies Act—
On the Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill.
—whether before or after commencement. This is another U-turn.
Allow the Taoiseach to answer.
The Minster of State inadvertently misled the House when saying it could not—
It is not appropriate to discuss the content of a Bill or statements by Members.
If we reach it tomorrow, it is ready to be taken tomorrow.
Item 35 on the Order Paper reads "Statements on Taxis". Will the Taoiseach ensure negotiations with train drivers take place well before Christmas to enable the DART to run late in the evenings through the Christmas period so that people can get home?
The Deputy should raise promised legislation.
This is a matter on the Order Paper and the Taoiseach is prepared to answer.
The question the Deputy asked is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Maidir leis an Telecommunications (Infrastructure) Bill, 1999, an bhfuil sé fíor a rá go bhfuil sé sin imithe anois? Níl sé os comhair an tSeanaid, cé go bhfuil sé scríofa anseo. An féidir a rá anois go bhfuil sé imithe, mar sin an cuma atá ar an scéal anois?
It was published during the summer and is ordered for Second Stage in the Seanad.
It is not.
Does the Government propose to amend the terms of reference of the Moriarty tribunal?
I have no proposals. There is a motion down about the issue and there are some discussions about it, but I have no proposals.
Were there suggestions that the Government was going to add additional matter to be pursued by the tribunal?
It is not appropriate to go into detail.
I know, but I am surprised—
The Deputy should not pursue that line of questioning. It is not appropriate to the Order of Business, which has been very orderly.
There is broad agreement on that motion in the House. It would be useful if—
We have already discussed that matter.
Regarding the immigration legislation on the distributed Order Paper and the Tampere Presidency conclusions, when will we have an immigration policy for this country? When will we see that legislation?
We are bringing in a new Bill on that matter. I do not have a precise date for it. We have a policy, but there will be new legislation to update that.
(Dublin West): In view of the massive budget surplus, will the Taoiseach instruct the Minister for Finance to meet the legitimate claims of the nurses?
That is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
Will the Taoiseach confirm that it is proposed not to sit next week against the backdrop of the serious situation the country faces with the ongoing nurses' dispute? Is that being considered?
I understand the committees of the House are meeting next week.
How can the Taoiseach look the nurses in the eye and tell them they cannot have any more when he actively assisted a former Taoiseach to spend public money on fancy shirts and restaurants?
Please, Deputy.
When can we expect to see the adoption contact register Bill?
The session after Christmas.
When will the House discuss Second Stage of the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, 1999, the famous two-tier Bill the Taoiseach is going to introduce?
The Bill will be introduced in the next millennium.