The Order of Business shall be No. 24, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; No. 43, Aviation Regulation Bill, 2000 – Second Stage (resumed); No. 44, Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill, 2000 – Second Stage (resumed); No. 45, Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta Bill, 2000 – Second Stage (resumed), and No. 46, Teaching Council Bill, 2000 – Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 24 shall be decided without debate. Private Members' Business shall be No. 104, motion re milk quotas (resumed) to conclude at 8.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 24 agreed? Agreed.
Does the Taoiseach have any concept of the anger being felt by commuters about a succession of strikes in the rail service and soon in Aer Lingus, the absence of taxis and the fact there is no sense that the Minister for Public Enterprise or the Government is in charge? We have a Minister who interferes politi cally when it suits her and then washes her hands of the problems of commuters when it suits and a Taoiseach who does not seem to take any interest in the subject. Is the Taoiseach informed about the extent of anger at these strikes and what, as the person in charge, will he do?
The Labour Party and other parties in opposition in this Parliament have attempted to raise the issue of access to transport on a number of occasions. The crisis has now reached a proportion that warrants a special emergency debate in this House. I ask the Taoiseach to respond to the questions posed by Deputy John Bruton, which I support. There is widespread anger and frustration at the prospect of a fourth Christmas under this Administration when it will be impossible to get a taxi in the centre of Dublin city, despite many promises. If this House is to remain relevant and this Government is to remain in office, they must address this problem in a comprehensive way.
On the same subject—
Under my ruling of 14 October last year only the leaders of the two main parties can comment.
I am only too well aware of all these issues which are reported to me by various Ministers on a daily basis.
What is being done about them?
As regards taxis, unfortunately, the Government's decision to issue 3,100 taxi licences was challenged by the hackney men many months ago.
It was found to be inept.
That judgment has been made and the orders have been laid by the eminent justice. New orders must now be introduced by the Minister and, as I said yesterday, that will be done in a number of days. It is regrettable that the attempt to issue 3,100 taxi licences, which would have been in addition to several hundred issued by the taxi forum in 1997 and to the nil increase in taxis licences when Deputy John Bruton was Taoiseach, was thwarted.
That is in the past.
The Taoiseach is not living in the real world.
The Taoiseach should not blame us for the traffic jams.
Order, please.
As regards public transport and the industrial relations issue in CIE, a number of disputes are before the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission after consultation with the social partners and many meetings with the Minister for Public Enterprise and various Ministers about the strikes. The Minister is making arrangements to meet the parties involved to discuss the industrial relations difficulties in Iarnród Éireann and to find a way forward.
It is 15 months later.
Many of the findings of the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission, which are the industrial relations machinery of the State, in many disputes across a range of areas have been turned down. As Deputy Quinn knows from the time he was Minister for Labour, that is regrettable.
The Taoiseach should stop blaming everyone else.
I say for the benefit of Deputy John Bruton, who does not understand these matters as well—
How dare the Taoiseach.
—that the reason the Minister must get involved is that when the industrial relations machinery cannot deal with these disputes, a hands on approach is needed.
Hands on nothing.
It is only in that event that the Minister will become involved in this matter.
I call Deputy John Bruton.
An actor in "Bull Island" would make as much impact.
The Deputy is a laugh.
It is not funny.
The Deputy is funny.
That is part of the Minister's problem.
The Deputy is part of the problem.
The Minister is a caricature.
Order, please. Deputy John Bruton is in possession.
Will the Taoiseach accept that the answer he has just given is characteristic of his approach to many other issues, namely, that wherever there is a problem, he blames someone else, in this case, the hackney drivers? The Taoiseach is running out of excuses and people to blame. The truth is there is a poisonous relationship between the Minister and the board of CIE, which has been generated in considerable measure by herself, and she does not have the characteristics required to intervene successfully in such a matter other than to undermine the board. The difficulty is that we have had bad management at the top as far as public transport is concerned over the past three years. This has been typified by the Government's relationship with CIE and its failure to deal with the taxi issue until forced into it. The public does not have a sense that the Government is in charge of this issue. These are public services and the Government is unable to deliver a public service.
That is incorrect.
People could not get a train yesterday.
Allow the Taoiseach to continue.
I want to correct Deputy John Bruton. The Government acted, first through the taxi forum and the announcement of additional taxi licences in 1997 and 1998.
A delaying tactic, not a taxi forum.
These were issued through the Carriage Office in the city. In addition, the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Molloy, made the excellent decision to award an additional licence to every taxi driver in the State, totalling 3,100 licences. Unfortunately, another group challenged that decision.
The Taoiseach is in the pocket of vested interests.
Will the Deputy listen?
Allow the Taoiseach to make his statement without interruption.
I will elaborate no further.
I do not wish to offend the Taoiseach by asking a nasty question because he is sensitive about these matters. It is our job to ask questions on behalf of the people who elect us. When will the citizens of Dublin see extra taxis on the street?
If I am not interrupted I will answer the question. The Government allocated a mechanism to provide for an additional 3,100 taxis. Deputy Quinn will know we do not have the jurisdiction to ignore the courts. Following an objection from hackney drivers the courts decided on the issue. The licences would have been allocated before the summer but for the court proceedings. Mr. Justice Murphy only issued the final orders from his judgment yesterday and the Minister will introduce orders in the next day or two.
The Minister allocated several hundred additional taxi licences through the taxi forum in 1997 and 1998. In 1999 he attempted to provide for an additional 3,100 licences. He cannot be blamed for what has happened.
Perhaps my question was not direct enough. I will repeat it. When will the citizens of Dublin see extra taxis on the streets of Dublin?
I stated—
The Taoiseach did not.
I stated yesterday that the new orders will be issued in the next few days. That will open up the system—
I will repeat my question a second time. When will the citizens of Dublin see the additional taxis on the streets? That is what they want to know.
As soon as the orders are in place the system, that is, the Carriage Office, etc., can start processing the licences. I have said it will happen in a matter of a few days.
What does that mean?
I have made the position clear.
The Taoiseach may know what it means, but the citizens of Dublin want to know what it means in terms of time.
On a point of order–
I find it necessary once again to clarify the ruling of the Chair of 14 October 1999 that allows for a question to be raised by the Leaders of the groups recognised under Standing Orders. No other Member may intervene in such a question and answer, so we will now move to another subject.
(Dublin West): I have as much right to ask a question as Deputy John Bruton and Deputy Quinn.
I have again clarified the position.
(Dublin West): Why should the ruling be confined to Leaders?
This is the Order of Business and we cannot have a debate on transport on the Order of Business.
On a point of order—
We will proceed with the Order of Business. The question is confined to the two leaders and no other Members on either side. That is the ruling of the Chair and of the Standing Orders. I have repeated it on a number of occasions and have repeated it again today.
On a point of order—
What is your point of order?
Is the regulation about the increase in taxi licences confined to Dublin or does it apply to the rest of the country?
That is not a point of order. It is out of order. I call Deputy Noonan on the Order of Business.
If the present industrial relations chaos requires legislation, who in the Cabinet is responsible? Is it the absentee landlady from the Progressive Democrats—
That question is not appropriate to the Order of Business. Questions may only be asked about the introduction of impending legislation, not which Minister will introduce it.
The country is grinding to a halt. Which Minister is in charge?
Yesterday the Chair allowed a private notice question and an Adjournment debate matter to be raised. I also allowed Leaders to raise questions this morning. If there are no questions on the Order of Business we will proceed to the next business.
In view of the chaos in transport will the Taoiseach agree to prioritise the railway safety Bill, which the Government will apparently not introduce until late next year, and the transport Bill, the purpose of which is to establish a railway infrastructure procurement agency, which is surely urgent in view of the difficulties faced by many railway lines and which is also not promised until late next year? Does he agree that what we need is not talk or debates, but action from the Government to deal with the chaos that is occurring in an area in which it is a monopoly owner?
The heads of the railway safety Bill are expected before the end of the year and the Bill will be introduced next year. There are 70 heads to the transport Bill, the purpose of which is to regulate the on-street running of light rail, to make provision for public-private partnership related matters and to regulate the physical operating environment of light rail. The heads of that Bill are expected before Christmas.
The all-party committee on the Constitution will publish a report today which has been extensively discussed in advance and comprehensively leaked. I understand, and will the Taoiseach confirm, that this matter will, in the first instance, be referred to a sub-committee of the Cabinet for consideration and that in due course it will, through the Cabinet, make a recommendation concerning legislation on this issue? What is the Taoiseach's anticipated timetable concerning legislation that might arise from the deliberations of the Cabinet sub-committee and when is the House likely to see such legislative proposals?
It is possible that legislation will arise. Members of the Cabinet sub-committee have not seen the report, so it would be too early for me to say how long it will take or what deliberations will be necessary on the issue.
On numerous occasions over the past three years I have raised questions on the introduction of private security legislation and the Taoiseach has informed me it will be introduced some time this year. That has not yet happened.
Last night it was reported that doormen around the country have introduced self-regulation to stop INLA members from managing night club doors around this city. It is an indictment of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform that legislation has not been introduced to this House and that the doormen have now introduced self-regulation.
The legislation is due in this session.
When in this session?
The legislation is due this session, although I do not know the precise date on which the Whips will decide.
We have waited two and a half years for this legislation. Have Dublin doormen and INLA members been informed about it?
Deputy Farrelly should resume his seat.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is soft on crime.
I want to ask about the coastal zone management Bill in view of the high numbers of coast watch workers who have carried out work along our coastline in recent weeks and because a conference on climate change is ongoing in The Hague. I thought the Minister for the Environment and Local Government was to attend the conference but he appears to be bilocational this morning.
I will be in attendance for the ministerial meetings.
When can we expect to see the legislation being introduced as the issue of coastal management is becoming increasingly critical?
The Bill will be published in the middle of next year.
Does the Taoiseach intend to fund the proposed stadium in Limerick to the tune of £8 million?
That question is not in order on the Order of Business.
In light of the fact that there have been two gangland murders in this State in the past 48 hours, when can we expect to see the criminal justice Bill and the related criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill? Will the Taoiseach provide time for the Minister for Jus tice, Equality and Law Reform to withdraw his absurd statement that crime in this State is at 1950s levels and to recognise that there is a disastrous crime scene in this country which requires a legislative, police and Government response?
The latter part of the Deputy's question is not relevant to the Order of Business.
Our crime levels are more akin to 1920s Chicago.
The heads of the criminal justice Bill have been approved and it will be published in the middle of next year and the criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill will be published later next year.
That might keep the Minister busy. He should deal with the crime problem rather than writing scandalous newspaper articles. He is a disgrace.
(Interruptions).
Is the Taoiseach aware that many small businesses throughout the country are being brought to their knees as a result of skills shortages? The introduction of a training fund may help to resolve some of the industrial relations problems being experienced in some of these small businesses. When will the national training fund Bill be published and introduced in the House?
Very shortly.
The Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach recently issued statements concerning Dáil reform, an issue dealt with by a standing sub-committee of this House. Will the proposals for Dáil reform necessitate the introduction of legislation and is the standing sub-committee being bypassed on this matter?
It is the Chief Whip's intention to discuss these matters with the standing sub-committee.
Why has he left it so long? We have not seen any proposals.
What is the up-to-date schedule for the introduction of the financial regulation Bill and have the two amigos who seldom attend the Order of Business sorted out their difficulties?
Where are they as a matter of interest?
Are they still fighting?
Work on the legislation is ongoing. The Bill will be introduced as soon as possible but that will not happen this session.
The Government is gridlocked.
On the promised legislation in respect of Stadium Ireland, the Taoiseach informed the House yesterday that he had seen the denials in regard to the story that the rugby authorities are to play in Croke Park. There were no denials at that stage and this morning the journalist involved suggests that it was the Taoiseach's representatives who caused the denials to issue. Does the Taoiseach intend to provide money for Croke Park officials to persuade them to come out of their own stadium and play in a stadium that we do not need which will cost £800 million—
We cannot debate this matter further. The Deputy must ask a question about promised legislation.
In light of this morning's story by a reputable journalist to the effect that the rugby authorities are quite happy to play in Croke Park, which does not need a stadium, does the Taoiseach intend to proceed with the legislation? The FAI is building its own stadium and we are proposing to spend £800 million on a white elephant.
A statement is being prepared and, unusually for Deputy Rabbitte, he has his facts totally wrong again today.
The Taoiseach spent most of his time yesterday asking the GAA to make a statement.
(Interruptions).
A Deputy
Is there a conspiracy afoot?
We have no taxis and no trains.
Following yesterday's strike by 16,000 teachers, the ASTI has rejected the benchmarking process.
Has the Deputy a question on promised legislation?
How is it proposed to make up the teaching time which will be lost on vital leaving certificate and other courses which will cause stress to thousands of students?
The question is not in order on the Order of Business.
(Dublin West): Low paid catering workers in Aer Lingus were forced out on strike today. When will we have an opportunity to debate the Aer Lingus Bill in order to help Aer Lingus management to snap out of its yellow pack mentality through which low paid workers are subsidising the industry?
The Deputy continues to be disorderly.
The Bill is awaiting Second Stage in the normal way.
On 22 June last year the Taoiseach promised that the Criminal Justice (Fraud Offences) Bill on the type of issues currently being dealt with in tribunals would come before the House within two months. Some 17 months later the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has not produced the Bill. What went wrong? Why have we not seen the Bill and why did the Taoiseach make a promise to the House in June 1999 that the Bill would come before the House by the end of summer that year?
I understand the Bill has been published and is before the House.