A serious issue arises as a result of the decision of public health doctors to go on strike from Monday. The possibility of outbreaks of infectious diseases—
Order of Business (Resumed).
Does the Deputy have a question on legislation?
Will the Taoiseach ensure that an initiative is taken under the Medical Practitioners Act to ensure the logjam is broken.
The Deputy will have to find another way to raise this matter.
The SARS outbreak may impact on the Special Olympics. Will the Taoiseach tell me that some effort is being made to resolve this matter?
The Deputy knows she is out of order.
The Medical Practitioners Bill is to consolidate and update the Medical Prac titioners Acts 1978-2002. The heads of the Bill are expected to be presented in 2003 and it will be next year before legislation is published.
Tenants are at risk of being evicted due to the cap on rental subsidies. A report on this issue will be launched by Threshold at lunchtime today. Will the Landlord and Tenant (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill ensure tenants are not evicted, particularly those on social welfare benefits?
We cannot discuss the content of legislation on the Order of Business.
When will the legislation come before the House? Will it deal with residential tenants?
It is hoped to circulate the heads of the Bill by mid-2003. Legislation should be enacted by next year.
The report of the pharmacy review group has been widely leaked but not published. The purpose of the report was to inform a new pharmacy Bill. When will the report and the Bill be published?
Work is under way in the drafting of the heads of the Bill. The Bill will seek to rationalise the Pharmacy Acts 1875-1977. It is expected that the Bill will be published towards the end of this year.
When will the Defence Forces hearing loss compensation Bill come before the House?
I do not have a date for this Bill. The Minister has told me the Bill is listed but it is not necessary to introduce legislation.
Given the crisis in services to people with disabilities, will the Taoiseach advise the House when, or if, the heads of the Disability Bill have been approved by Government? Will it be published before the commencement of the Special Olympics or in this Year of People with Disabilities?
There are two Bills in this area and it is hoped that both will be published in the summer.
The Minister for Transport has spoken of legislation to make it easier to purchase land for road improvements. Is such legislation being examined and, if so, when will it be published? With regard to the crisis from which people with disabilities are suffering, Vote 33 relates to people with disabilities, when will we debate it?
While the Minister has commented on this he is considering such legislation. There is no date for it yet.
The Fisheries (Amendment) Bill has been floating around the House for several months. Second Stage has been discussed and the Minister has told us he plans to introduce significant new Parts and amendments to the Bill on a guillotine basis next Tuesday. We are supposed to have those amendments and the new Part to the Bill. Will it be possible to ensure that the Minister gives us the rest of this Bill which we should have had on Second Stage?
Is the Taoiseach disappointed that Ireland has slipped down the e-government table according to an Accenture report? We are heading in the wrong direction.
While I am not aware of a guillotine on the Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, I will bring the Deputy's views to the attention of the Minister.
Given the observations of the Human Rights Commission in Geneva and the appalling conditions in Irish prisons, why is the Government not able to indicate a date for, at the least, agreement on the preparation of heads for the prison services Bill which would establish an independent statutory service for prisons? Is the Government indifferent to the conditions in prisons?
I do not have a date when that Bill, which seeks to provide a statutory basis for an independent prisons service and related matters, will be ready. Work on the preparation of the heads of the Bill is in progress. I will try to obtain a more accurate assessment of the position for the Deputy.