The Order of Business shall be: No. 35, Cement (Repeal of Enactments) Bill, 1999, [Seanad] – Second Stage (resumed); No. 36, the Criminal Justice (United Nations Convention Against Torture) Bill, 1998 [Seanad] – Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; No. 37, the Sex Offenders Bill, 2000 – Second Stage (resumed); and No. 4, the Gas (Amendment) Bill, 2000 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. Private Members' business shall be No. 59 – the Electoral (Amendment) (Donations to Parties and Candidates) Bill, 2000 – Second Stage (resumed), to conclude at 8.30 p.m. tonight.
Order of Business.
There are no proposals to be put to the House.
On promised legislation, does the Taoiseach agree it is very wrong that a tribunal of inquiry established by this House should be frustrated by people giving incomplete evidence? The sole member should have powers analogous to a judge's powers with regard to contempt of court to deal quickly with any lack of co-operation he perceives. Does the Taoiseach agree it is not satisfactory that such lack of co-operation can only be dealt with by using threats of action which might take years to have any effect? Will the Taoiseach consider strengthening the powers of the sole member?
The Deputy should refrain from commenting on an ongoing situation.
Thank you. I will make no further comment. Does the Taoiseach agree that the court officers Bill or the criminal justice fraud Bill which are soon to be presented to the Dáil should be amended to enhance the powers of the sole member of a tribunal to enable him to deal quickly with matters of this nature rather than be forced to wait and wait for actions that might, as I say, take years to have any effect?
The contents of proposed legislation are not a matter for the Order of Business.
I asked the Taoiseach a question.
Yes, but it is on the contents of proposed legislation.
Is the Taoiseach prepared to deal with the problem, which requires legislation? The problem is that of a tribunal being frustrated.
I ask the Deputy to refrain from commenting on the ongoing situation.
The Taoiseach will agree that this tribunal was established by the House and the House has a responsibility to ensure that the sole member has the powers necessary to deal with any frustrations he experiences in work he has been charged with by this House. I think the Taoiseach would agree that however he can deal with this matter, he should deal with it.
We certainly would deal with any matter the sole member has difficulties with or would require us to deal with, but it would be a matter for him to raise that issue and he has not done so.
Under the Good Friday Agreement this House committed itself to enacting a number of different Bills, some of which have gone on to the Statute Book while others are still making their way, slowly, through the House. I refer specifically to the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Bill and the Human Rights Commission Bill. Given that the Ulster Unionist Council will meet later this week and that we are in default of meeting our obligations – it is the second anniversary next Monday of the Good Friday Agreement – does the Taoiseach intend making a statement outlining where this legislation is and giving an indication as to when this House will meet in full, its legislative obligations under the Agreement? Those obligations are an integral part of the Agreement.
There is a large number of questions on the Order Paper relating to Northern Ireland which will be dealt with today.
This relates to legislation.
The human rights legislation has been passed and I recently stated publicly and in correspondence to the parties in the North that both the British human rights system and ours will be operational from October. The other legislation finished its passage through this House on 13 April and is now before a committee of the House. I hope that can be cleared before the summer recess.
Will the Taoiseach have a word in the Tánaiste's ear when he gets a chance, and ask her to take on some extra people in her own Department to process applications for work permits? It is very important.
The Deputy should pursue that point by way of parliamentary question.
She should start in her own Department.
Given the refusal of the Minister for Public Enterprise to give information to the House on a proposal to privatise Bus Átha Cliath and Bus Éireann, despite close questioning by me and Deputy Yates yesterday, will the Government consider making time available for a debate on her proposals to privatise public transport?
(Dublin West): On the same subject, the Minister has come in this morning with what looks like the red flag wrapped around her—
(Interruptions.)
(Dublin West):—though her privatisation policies are of a decidedly Thatcherite blue. When will the legislation throwing the Dublin Bus workers to the wolves, after using them as cheap labour to subsidise public transport—
The Deputy is making a statement. He must ask a question on legislation.
(Dublin West): When will the legislation providing for the apparent privatisation of Dublin Bus and throwing its workers to the wolves after years of using them as cheap labour—
The Deputy cannot proceed with a statement.
(Dublin West): When will it be brought before the Dáil?
Some misleading comments have been made by the last speaker. To clarify the matter, as the Minister for Public Enterprise has pointed out, these matters will be addressed with the social partners, particularly the trade union movement, in the transport forum which has been established. The Government decision in principle on—
The Taoiseach is in possession and I ask for order.
—the deregulation of the bus market has moved on and in due course as that is debated and discussed the legislation will come before the House.
Will the Government agree to a debate in the House in the interim on the proposals?
I think the Minister would welcome that.
(Mayo): Yesterday three British citizens were released by Clonakilty District Court on charges of possession of drugs valued at £15 million and had to be subsequently re-arrested. They were released because essential certification—
The Deputy should not make a statement. He should ask a question on legislation.
(Mayo): This relates to legislation. They were released because essential certification was not brought forward by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. When will the Criminal Justice (Illicit Traffic by Sea) Bill be taken? It has been published for a considerable period but has not been taken.
The Bill has been published and I will consult the Whip and the Minister to arrange for it to be taken.
I wish to ask about promised legislation to regulate the financial services industry. Have the discussions between the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance resulted in agreement?
They have called in Maarti Ahtisaari.
They are ongoing.
Regarding the Central Bank Bill, has the lack of control over our currency, with inflation running at 5%, given the Taoiseach any reason to reconsider his position on the euro? Is there a plan B given that we are locked into a very serious inflationary situation?
The Bill to provide for the supervision by the Central Bank of foreign trusts is being drafted but I do not have a date for publication at this stage.
When will the town renewal Bill be published?
This session.