Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 21 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 6

Leaders' Questions.

Mr. Kenny

I want to express a warm welcome for the unfolding events on this historic day for the people of Northern Ireland. I am sure everyone in the House will join me in expressing the hope that we have finally reached a point where the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement will take place. I repeat again my support, on behalf of the Fine Gael Party, for the efforts of the Government in attempting to see this achieved. I commend the Taoiseach and his colleagues for their continuous efforts in bringing about the unfolding events of today. I hope they will be real and fruitful.

The House will also be aware that Ireland's EU Presidency term begins in ten weeks. Deputies have expressed serious concern over the continuing deterioration in Ireland's competitiveness. A recent report on the world economy placed us 24th in the competitive category, falling from the 11th place we held last year. On the four major areas examined by the report – Government efficiency, economic performance, business efficiency and infrastructure – we fared poorly. For infrastructure, we were placed last. For inflation figures we were placed 25th out of 29.

On 22 September, the EU Competitiveness Council met in Brussels, dealing with the internal EU market, industry and research. Looking at the attendance list, every EU state except Ireland was represented by a senior Minister. Ireland was represented by a deputy permanent representative. This is on the watch of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Harney. Her Department has two Ministers of State, Deputies Fahey and Michael Ahern. From examining the list of public engagements on 22 September, there were none that were more important than this Council meeting. With the EU Presidency term beginning in ten week's time and with an issue central to our economic development in competitiveness, why were the Government and the Tánaiste's Department not represented at this important EU meeting?

The Tánaiste

I wish to express my appreciation of the comments Deputy Kenny made on the unfolding events in Northern Ireland. Like him, I hope this sets the scene for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and for only normal electoral politics to operate on the island of Ireland. The events of today are a staging post along this route. Subject to the agreement of the Whips, it is the intention of the Government to have a debate on the unfolding events, perhaps tomorrow.

I was absent from the meeting of the Competitiveness Council because of a private family event, which had been in my diary for some time and I am sure everybody can understand that. I attend any meetings where decisions are made. While I have not been great at attending the informal councils over the years, I have attended them more recently because of our upcoming Presidency. Ireland was one of the drivers in seeking the creation of the Competitiveness Council to bring together the internal market, industry and research. Ireland has taken the lead in proposing suggestions to a high level group to make the council work more effectively so that the cross-cutting issues can be addressed and the council does not operate as three separate entities in one.

In recent months I have engaged with my colleagues in the applicant countries and from existing member states to determine how we can move the agenda forward during our Presidency. As the Deputy may be aware, while the Council has an important role to play, the decisions we make at home have an equally important part to play. Although we have slipped in some of the competitiveness measurements, the country still does remarkably well. For example, our foreign direct investment in 2002 was 19% higher than the previous year. Unemployment is still low at 4.4% and inflation is now down to 2.9%. As the general election stated "A lot done, more to do."

Mr. Hayes

The Tánaiste will need to get out the leather.

The Tánaiste

I acknowledge that. I am delighted to see the Deputies are listening at least. In particular, we need to be far more innovative. We must make a greater effort to invest in research, development and technology, which we have sought to do through the establishment of the science foundation, etc. We are losing basic manufacturing jobs and this will continue. However, I hope that economic growth in the future will come through productivity growth, fuelled by innovation, which is the strategy that is in place.

I assure Deputy Kenny that I will be at the two-day meeting of the Council in November. Yesterday I had a long meeting with the Commissioner with responsibility for research. I will be at as many meetings on these matters as I can physically attend.

Mr. Kenny

I thank the Tánaiste for her clarification. I have no wish to interfere with her agenda and if she had undertaken a personal commitment, I accept that. While I understand that the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern, was away on official business, I do not see any evidence of public engagements for the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey. I would have thought that in a matter as important as this, Ireland should have been represented by a Minister of State at the very minimum. With due respect to the deputy permanent representative who attended on behalf of Ireland, the attendance record makes very poor reading. The Government should not leave deputy permanent representatives to deal with sensitive political issues like stem cell research, which was discussed at the meeting, or the strategy for competitiveness, which as Deputy Richard Bruton pointed out dealt with inflation, insurance costs and infrastructural costs. These are fundamental matters.

Mr. Rabbitte

These are matters for which the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, has responsibility.

Mr. Kenny

I wish to point out the seriousness of this. Given that Ireland will assume the Presidency in ten weeks, this is a critical misjudgment by Government. We should be represented at the very highest level. If the Tánaiste was unable to attend, she should have made sure one of her junior Ministers did so. The world competitiveness report has indicated that we have slipped seriously in terms of inflation, insurance costs and infrastructure. It is a shame that it was left to a deputy permanent representative to handle the affairs of Government at such an important meeting.

The Tánaiste

Since our entry into the EU, there have been many meetings at which we have been very ably represented by our officials. While clearly it is not good practice for this to be the case in all circumstances, sometimes it is unavoidable. There are a huge number of EU meetings. Ireland is the only country in the EU to have one Minister with responsibility for the different areas that come under the Competitiveness Council. Most other countries have separate Ministers for research, internal market matters and industry, which mean they have a larger pool from which to draw. However, I take the point and I am not arguing with Deputy Kenny. It is only in exceptional circumstances that we would not be represented by a Minister or a Minister of State at a Council meeting.

Mr. Rabbitte

I join Deputy Kenny in wishing the Government well in the events in Northern Ireland, which have not yet concluded. We look forward to having the opportunity at the earliest possible time to debate what has transpired when there is more clarity.

I refer the Tánaiste to the tragic events in recent days in respect of the phenomenon known as "joy-riding". I refer in particular to the irresponsible and dangerous use of cars by young people and the tragic events in County Clare at the weekend where two young girls were killed in a car said to be more than 20 years old, which apparently had been purchased by the driver for €150. In a separate development, court proceedings began yesterday in respect of the deaths of two gardaí who were killed while trying to protect the public from a stolen car on the Stillorgan Road.

Does the Tánaiste recall that on two occasions in recent years, in April 2000 and April 2002, the Government parties voted down the Bill introduced in this House on behalf of the Labour Party by Deputy Broughan that would have at least dealt with some of the major aspects of this so-called joy-riding phenomenon? This Bill would have strengthened the law and in particular made it an offence "to supply a vehicle to an under-age person in such circumstances as to give reasonable apprehension that that vehicle will be used by an under-age person in a public place."

Does the Tánaiste now accept it was a mistake for the two Government parties on no less than two occasions to vote down Deputy Broughan's Bill? Whereas we can never be certain that the tragedy that happened at the weekend could have been averted, it is possible that it might have been. If the Labour Party now re-introduces that Bill, will the Government support it? If the Government refuses to support it, when will it introduce its own measures to tackle a phenomenon that haunts many communities in parts of this city and in parts of the country?

The Tánaiste

I express my sympathy to the families of the individuals who lost their lives so tragically at the weekend in what the Deputy said is broadly called "joy-riding". It is fair to say the Government would always be open to any legislative measures or any penalties that would prevent this happening. However, we would all acknowledge that no law in the world could stop many of the things we would all like to see prevented. I understand that the Garda authorities have indicated they have adequate legislative powers in this regard. There have been ongoing negotiations on the implementation of an EU directive on the return of what are called "scrap cars". This is obviously a matter for the Minister for Transport.

While I cannot recall when the Labour Party introduced its Bill, if it were the case that any law could prevent this from happening, that party would be pushing an open door as far as the Government is concerned. However, the issue is much more complex. It is a question perhaps of enforcing the current law before we go down the road of introducing new laws in this area.

Mr. Rabbitte

I regret to say that the Tánaiste seems to be out of touch with this phenomenon, which is a problem in the constituency she now represents and in the one she represented until recently. The Government voted down the Labour Party Bill in April 2000 and in April 2002. It is not a fact that there is adequate legislation. The acquisition of company cars by young people for €100 or €150 is a major cause of the problem. In this case the car, which was more than 20 years old, was acquired for €150. Deputy Broughan's Bill would have dealt with this and would have made it an offence to sell that type of car to such a young person as well as dealing with a number of other matters.

Is the Tánaiste aware that the previous Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Noel Dempsey, promised to give effect by April 2002 to mandatory regulations to provide for the safe disposal of end-of-life vehicles? For some reason, although his commitment was that it would be signed into law in April 2002, this still has not happened.

If Deputy Broughan re-enters the Bill, can we have agreement in the House that it will pass Second Stage to allow it to proceed to Committee Stage in order that we may address a phenomenon that scourges law-abiding citizens in many parts of this city and country—

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy's minute is concluded.

Mr. Rabbitte

—and that ended in such terrible tragedy last weekend in County Clare?

The Tánaiste

As the Deputy is aware, this matter arises in the context of the implementation in Ireland of an EU directive. I understand that there are ongoing discussions or that negotiations have not been completed on how these abandoned or scrapped cars are to be taken out of circulation. This has been an issue for years and there is no point in people assuming that if we do something overnight—

Mr. Stagg

It is a matter of doing something about it.

The Tánaiste

I wish it were that straightforward. It is illegal for someone in the circumstances outlined to drive a vehicle. That is the law. Unfortunately, the fact that it is illegal does not prevent it from happening.

Regarding the specific issue Deputy Rabbitte raised, I will discuss with my colleagues in Government who have responsibility for this area the possibility of making it a criminal offence to sell such cars to under age individuals, which is what the Deputy suggested, or the imposition of a fine on those who do so.

Mr. J. Higgins

I have come from Mountjoy Prison. I visited some of the 11 ordinary working people incarcerated there and in Cloverhill for peaceful community protest against the brutal policy of the Government of threatening to leave uncollected the refuse bins of tens of thousands of householders and compliant taxpayers because of their boycott of the bin tax which they correctly believe they have paid through general and other taxation. Working men and women, fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers have been carted off to jail within days of peaceful community protests. They had no recourse except to protest in this way.

It is six years since the massive tax evasion scam by the Ansbacher criminals came to light. Ansbacher man has never darkened the doorway of a courthouse let alone found himself behind prison walls. It is many years since councillors were revealed as being up to their necks in corruption with speculators. Not one has darkened the doorway of a courthouse on that account let alone been jailed for it. The chairman of the Revenue Commissioners now says that the amount stolen from the tax fund by the largest tax evasion racket ever seen in the history of the State and probably of the European Union which was organised by some of the largest banks and financial institutions is moving towards €1 billion. Not a single board member has been in front of a court let alone in jail for this monstrous theft.

Does the nauseating double standards of the Government and of the economic, political and judicial establishment in the State cause the Tánaiste even the slightest embarrassment? Does it ever strike her as being even a little unjust that the small people, the working class men and women and compliant PAYE taxpayers and pensioners, are carted off to jail for peaceful protest while the millionaire tax evaders and the boardrooms of banks and financial institutions that organised scams on a massive scale are untouchable? Does the Tánaiste agree that the Government is exposed—

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy's two minutes has concluded.

Mr. J. Higgins

—as monstrously hypocritical for allowing this to happen? What will she do to stop it?

The Tánaiste

No one is in jail because he or she engaged in peaceful protest, as the Deputy is well aware. People are in jail because they defied a High Court order. I understand that some of the individuals to whom he referred do not have to pay these charges because they have waivers.

As Deputy Joe Higgins knows, we have an independent Judiciary. The revenue authorities are independent and have the power to prosecute in these circumstances. We also have an independent Director of Public Prosecutions. The Deputy must also be aware that 90% of the people in the area he represents have paid their charges and are entitled to have the service for which they have paid without that being interfered with.

Mr. J. Higgins

The Tánaiste should answer the question.

The Tánaiste

I have.

Mr. J. Higgins

It is incredible. The Tánaiste has evaded the question of the monstrous hypocrisy and double standards of the Government and the establishment. Where are the instances of High Court judges bringing the boardrooms of banks – the real criminals – in front of them and sending them to prison instead of decent working class people? The Tánaiste is completely dishonest. Will she suspend—

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should withdraw the remark that the Tánaiste is dishonest.

Mr. J. Higgins

Will the Government suspend the brutal—

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should withdraw the remark.

Mr. J. Higgins

She is politically dishonest.

An Ceann Comhairle

Will the Deputy withdraw the remark unequivocally?

Mr. J. Higgins

The Tánaiste refused to answer my question.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Joe Higgins should withdraw the remark and he can then continue.

Mr. J. Higgins

I accused her of political dishonesty.

An Ceann Comhairle

Will the Deputy withdraw the remark, please?

Mr. J. Higgins

What remark?

An Ceann Comhairle

That the Tánaiste is dishonest.

Mr. Quinn

When did this arise?

Mr. J. Higgins

I said she is politically dishonest. She would not answer the question and I will leave it at that.

Will the Government suspend the brutal policy of the non-collection of the bins of compliant taxpayers and allow the debate on the bin tax and the substantive environmental issues that arise to continue? Is the Tánaiste prepared to see Mountjoy Prison become a Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Gulag for hundreds of workers and pensioners over the next few months, because that is what will happen? Does she have any idea of the anger of ordinary taxpayers at the monstrous double standards over which she presides – the stealth taxes, the increase in house prices which will rob the young for the rest of their lives and the new tier of local taxation—

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy's minute is concluded.

Mr. J. Higgins

—that the Government is attempting to apply, shortly to be joined by water charges of up to €1,000 per family? I warn the Tánaiste that the determination is huge. Will she answer the question I posed at the beginning? Is she embarrassed by the double standards of the system and the establishment?

The Tánaiste

The Government will not let 100 or 150 supporters of the Deputy halt the refuse collection service for compliant taxpayers in Dublin. Some 90% of the people in the Fingal area have either a waiver or have paid their charges, as the Deputy knows.

Mr. J. Higgins

That is not so.

The Tánaiste

That is a fact.

Mr. J. Higgins

The Government has intimidated them.

Mr. D. Ahern

The Deputy should allow the Tánaiste to answer.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy has had his chance.

The Tánaiste

It is a fact, and many more have paid in the past month than was the case before that. Recent events have encouraged people to pay. The Government believes that such compliant citizens should have their service restored and should be allowed to have their bins collected. The only ones preventing them from doing so are a small group of protesters.

Mr. J. Higgins

That is not true. The Tánaiste did not answer my question.