The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No 4, Finance Bill, 2000 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that (1) on Wednesday, 23 February 2000, the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. and business shall be interrupted not later than 10.30 p.m.; (2) Second Stage of No. 4 shall be taken today and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the opening speech of the Minister for Finance and of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party shall not exceed 45 minutes in each case; (ii) the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case; (iii) Members may share time; (iv) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 20 minutes, and the proceedings thereon and on Nos. 49 and 52 – General Budget Resolutions 1997 and 1998, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 10.30 p.m. tomorrow by one question. Private Members' Business shall be No. 99, motion re pensions and car testing.
Order of Business.
There are two proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal for the late sitting tomorrow night agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 4 agreed? Agreed.
Will the Taoiseach arrange for an early presentation of the legislation to establish the office for economic and social development under the aegis of his Department, in view of the need for a debate on inflation and competitiveness, given that inflation is running at 4.4%, according to the CSO, and all four questions chosen for the Adjournment tonight concern job losses, as a direct result of Ireland losing competitiveness?
I do not think that is appropriate to the Order of Business.
It is actually.
That Bill is due to be published early this year.
Will the Taoiseach arrange for a debate on competitiveness, given the very serious news on that matter?
I am sure the Finance Bill will cover that.
My colleague, Deputy McDowell, tabled a number of questions in respect of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness which were ruled out of order on the grounds that it anticipates debate. That is in accordance with different precedents which have been established here. I wish to bring to your attention and that of the House the dilemma of the Opposition in respect of this and you may wish to consider it. This item will be debated for 45 minutes on Thursday afternoon and will remain on the Order Paper. As the form of dialogue is one of statements rather than questions and answers, it is impossible, under the ruling of your office, for us to elicit information by way of question. I do not wish to be contentious about this, but I would refer you to the correspondence from the Ceann Comhairle to Deputy McDowell. There are enough restrictions on the Opposition in trying to do its business. I suspect that, on reflection, you may wish to reconsider this decision – I am trying to deal with this in as pleasant a way as possible. All the Government would need to do would be to leave this item on the agenda, as for example the budget is, and we would, on your ruling, Sir, be debarred from asking question about the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. This is unacceptable and I ask you to consider that. Perhaps the Government Whip would communicate with your office, otherwise we are—
We cannot debate this matter now. I call Deputy John Bruton on a point of order.
In view of the point made by Deputy Quinn, will the Chair arrange for a liberal interpretation of the yield rule in the House, whereby Ministers yield and answer questions during their contributions?
That is not a point of order. As Deputy Quinn rightly pointed out, the Ceann Comhairle is bound by precedent in these matters. The general matter of parliamentary questions is before the Dáil reform sub-committee. The issue raised by Deputy Quinn and Deputy Bruton could well be raised by members of that sub-committee.
On a point of order, the matter has been raised repeatedly. I see no need for a change. Standing Order 142 is quite clear, and if it is interpreted properly it should not rule out parliamentary questions.
There is a long-standing precedent of which Deputy Barrett is aware.
(Mayo): At the weekend the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform announced a new criminal justice Bill to limit the right to silence, extend the period for detention and introduce modifications to the DNA test. Why was this Bill not included in the list of promised legislation recently published by the Government? When will the Bill be published? Will it include measures to tighten the system of temporary release, in view of a newspaper report that a suspect for the Ballygar murder was on temporary release at the time of the murder?
The second question on promised legislation is in order.
The drafting of the heads of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill was cleared last week. I do not have a date for publication yet. I hope to have the date after the next meeting of the parliamentary draftsmen and the Whip.
Item No. 108 on the Order Paper is a procedural motion which we have been informed by the Bills Office and the Ceann Comhairle's office is required to be put down in order to have a Private Member's Bill on development co-operation aid moved and debated in Private Members' time. Will the Government consider taking this item without debate in Government time to enable us to move this Bill and have it debated in Private Members' time?
I was not aware of this. I will examine the matter and inform the Deputy.
Thank you, Sir. At some stage this year or next year the State will discuss the outcome of the intergovernmental conference which commenced on 14 February. Does the Government intend to publish a White Paper or will the Taoiseach indicate what legislation would be required in order to bring the intergovernmental conference to a conclusion?
It is hoped that the intergovernmental conference which started last week will be concluded in the French Presidency in mid-December. There are five sections to be debated. Three are left over from Amsterdam, the fourth is flexibility and the fifth is a catch-all section. Some changes will be required but they will not take place this year.
Is it the intention of the Government to publish a White Paper, as Governments of other member states have done, setting out the Government's position?
Our position has already been set out. It is not the Government's intention to publish a White Paper. Our position was set out in the opening round of discussions last week.
What does the Government propose to do following the devastating news of the AT Cross closure in Ballinasloe?
That matter will be raised on the Adjournment this evening.
I would like the Taoiseach to address the matter given that the Tánaiste is not here today to answer the question.
On the Order of Business the week before last I raised the matter of the Private Members' Bill in my name and that of Deputy Kenny, and the Government's broadcasting Bill. The Taoiseach indicated, in relation to the banning of radio advertisements for The Irish Catholic in the Republic, although it can be advertised in Northern Ireland, that he would ask the Minister to communicate with me on the matter. I have not heard from the Minister. This is a matter which we may wish to return to on the Order of Business on promised legislation.
The Government has been promising a local government reform Bill since before the local elections. The publication date of the Bill was to have been before the local elections, then after the elections, some time in the autumn, before Christmas and lastly in January, but the Bill still has not been published.
The Bill will be published in this session.
This session runs until the end of April. When precisely will the Bill be published. The local elections were postponed to allow this Bill to be introduced. The Government did not introduce it and we still do not know when it will appear.
I have three questions and I hope I will get three answers. Has the Government plans to save sub-post offices, about which there is concern throughout the country? I see the Minister for Public Enterprise nodding her head but she has a habit of nodding her head.
That matter is not appropriate to the Order of Business. I call Deputy Ó Caoláin.
My second question refers to provision for student nurses in the national development plan. Will the Government do anything for student nurses?
That again is not appropriate to the Order of Business. Deputy Ó Caoláin. I will call Deputy Belton again if he has a question which is appropriate to the Order of Business.
Deputy Ó Caoláin may be from Monaghan but I have a third question.
I will call you again, Deputy Belton, if you have a question appropriate to the Order of Business and if you resume your seat.
I will not know if it is appropriate until I ask it.
The Chair will decide.
What are the implications of the Bill signposted by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform at the weekend for the current review of the Offences Against the State Act, given that the new Bill would extend to new legislation some of the draconian powers of detention already in the Offences Against the State Act?
A Second Stage speech is not appropriate on the Order of Business.
I have already answered questions on this Bill.
Not on the points I raised.
That is a detailed question.
In view of the fact that there appear to be difficulties between the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands and the Arts Council and that membership of the council appears to be a temporary little arrangement, does the Government intend to bring forward a revision of the legislation governing the Arts Council, to give it clarity and definition?
The Minister was at a meeting of the Arts Council today. She has said that she will review the legislation. It is 50 years old and things have changed dramatically in the arts world in that time. If the Deputy submits a question to the Minister he will receive a fuller statement on the matter.
In the list of legislation promised for the first half of last year, the Health (Amendment) Bill was included. The Bill is again on the list for this session. Unlike other Bills on the current list which have an explanatory note explaining their broad purpose, it is impossible to know why this Bill is being prepared.
The Order of Business is not the appropriate occasion to find out that information.
The Taoiseach may have more information which might explain the matter.
I will be glad to. The Health (Amendment) Bill is to amend section 59 of the Health Act, 1970. It will regulate, as a priority, the availability of drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances under the general medical services scheme and the community drugs scheme. The Bill is due this session.
There have been questions before in relation to the precise status of the standards in public office Bill which, as the Taoiseach will recall, was referred by the Government to two committees of the House which I understand have completed their examination of the draft legislation. Is the Taoiseach in a position to indicate when the Bill will be formally brought before the House and, if so, does it propose to include any changes in relation to the funding of political parties as suggested by Deputy Fleming?
The Bill which is well advanced is not a particularly easy one to draft as it will consolidate previous Acts but it is still hoped to introduce it next session. I am sure Deputy Fleming and many others will express their views on Second Stage.
In view of the fact that this country has already exceeded the greenhouse gases limit set for 2010 when will the Irish Energy Centre Bill be introduced? Given that we have the lowest energy conservation standards in Europe, the lowest subvention for public transport and the worst broadleaf forest cover, when will urgency be given to consideration of the cost to future generations, in money and other effects?
The Bill will establish the Irish Energy Centre as an agency under the aegis of the Department of Public Enterprise. The heads are in preparation and the Bill will be introduced in the autumn session.
(Dublin West): Mountjoy Prison is badly overcrowded but not by holders of Ansbacher accounts. When will the prison service Bill be brought forward and will it outlaw such outrages as the summary imprisonment of 13 environmental activists from the Glen of the Downs? Will the Taoiseach call for their release and perhaps replace them with individuals who have up to £100 million in the Cayman Islands? They are the real criminals who defraud the taxpayer.
The Deputy cannot make a Second Stage speech.
The heads of the Bill will be circulated in April and the Bill will be published later in the year.
Farmers have to wait six to 12 months for their REPS payments. Will the Government pay interest on top—
That matter is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
It is very appropriate. It is a disgraceful situation. Contracts should be honoured.