It is proposed to take No. 9, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a Council decision concerning co-operation between asset recovery offices of the member states (back from committee); No. 8, Supplementary Estimates for Public Services — Votes 20 and 21(back from committee); and No. a11, financial motions by the Minister for Finance, 2007 — motion 5, (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 4.45 p.m. and business shall be interrupted not later than 7.30 p.m.; Nos. 9 and 8 shall be decided without debate and any division demanded on No. 8 shall be taken forthwith; and the following arrangements shall apply in respect of the resumed debate on No. a11: the speech of the Taoiseach and of the main spokespersons or a Member nominated in his or her stead for the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 40 minutes in each case and the speech of each other Member called upon, who may share their time, shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case.
Order of Business.
There are three proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal for the late sitting agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. 8 and 9 without debate agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. a11 agreed? Agreed.
If I heard it correctly this morning on RTE, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is to announce his carbon budget, as it is described, today. Can I take it that the announcements being made by Ministers will be made here in the House, as was the case with the budget yesterday, and that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will make his announcement here?
That is how I understand it.
Following the budget statement yesterday, the Minister for Health and Children announced increases in charges for accident and emergency departments and overnight stays in hospital and an increase in the threshold for the drugs payment scheme. Why were those increases not contained in the budget statement made by the Minister for Finance yesterday? Are there any other little increases in charges likely to be made by other Ministers and which were not in the budget statement?
They are not taxation measures and are not required to be included in the budget statement. They are in the principal features of the budget. There are a number of issues in the principal features. The Minister for Health and Children outlined last night why these issues come up at budget time. They come up regularly at budget time and are included in a departmental estimate for next year.
In the same vein, in his budget speech and in what I can only describe as an effort to excuse the Government's reneging on its promise to extend the medical card, as contained in the programme for Government, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance indicated that the Minister for Health and Children is carrying out a review of eligibility. The eligibility for health and personal social services Bill has been long promised and is long overdue. Will it be further delayed because of the review being undertaken by the Minister for Health and Children in respect of entitlements or will the Taoiseach take the more correct approach and bring forward that legislation so Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas will have the opportunity to directly impact on this so-called review and help guide this Government correctly for the first time in respect of the entitlement to health care of all citizens on the basis of need?
Is legislation promised in this area?
The eligibility for health and personal social services Bill is expected in 2008 but the review is not predicated on that legislation.
In view of the low esteem in which the political establishment appears to be held by the public, as indicated in a recent report, is it intended to bring in the legislation to allow for the ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption and if so, when? It is promised for next year.
In view of the large number of vacant spaces on the Government front bench this morning, is it intended at an early date to give legislative effect to the convention which seeks to prevent the arrest, detention, abduction or any other deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or any group supported by the State? The item in question is No. 63 on the Government's legislative programme. Obviously, there is something preventing the very good members of the Government front bench from being in attendance this morning.
The first matter raised by the Deputy will be dealt with in this session. I do not know what the other issue is about.
The budget contains nothing in respect of protecting and managing our heritage resource. It is part of our development and is linked with the tourism industry. When can we expect the national monuments Bill to come before the House? A huge number of controversies have crept into the system in this area since Deputy John Gormley took over the Environment, Heritage and Local Government portfolio. He is seemingly turning a blind eye to many of the controversies. Maybe the smell of the diesel State car is having an effect on him.
There was a large increase in his Estimate yesterday. The national monuments Bill will be taken next year.
A number of Members are offering but, by recent convention, the Order of Business is very short on the day after the budget to allow the party leaders to debate the general resolution to proceed.
That is very decent.
In view of the failure to process the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, many tenants and leaseholders are facing eviction. When will the Bill, which is on Committee Stage, be resurrected and passed?
The Bill is on Committee Stage. All I can do is bring Deputy Costello's views to the Minister.
It concerns constituents of the Taoiseach.
In view of the fact that decentralisation was not mentioned once in yesterday's budget, will the Taoiseach update the House on decentralisation and the progress being made?
Tom Parlon mentioned it last night.
That would be a very good parliamentary question. It is not for the Order of Business.
Is there a major shortage of legislation? I refer to the Health (Amendment) Bill. The best statement that one of the Ministers, who are paid a lot of money, could send out was to tell the women of the country how to cook their Brussels sprouts for Christmas.
I would have thought it was timely.
We are paying them a lot of money and there is no legislation in the House. Is that the best statement he can send out? I do not care how he cooks his Brussels sprouts, nor do the women of the country, nor the men. It is not good enough.
We hope he did not burn them.
It is all cabbage in Mayo.
No matter how they are cooked, one cannot legislate for the cooking of Brussels sprouts.
On the anniversary of the animal of decentralisation, I ask the Taoiseach and the Minister for Transport beside him how he can suggest to close Valentia and centralise the work to Drogheda, taking 17 jobs from a rural area such as Valentia and transferring them to Drogheda.
That is not in order.
No jobs were taken out. The Deputy should try to tell the truth.
The Minister is totally out of order.
So is Deputy Sheahan, unfortunately.
I thought the Ceann Comhairle would support me.
Sin ceist eile.
Some €5 million was put aside for tourism in the Shannon region in yesterday's budget. Has €53 million tourism development funding been set aside in the budget to prepare Shannon for open skies?
That is not in order. That must be raised during the budget debate.
Why is it not in order? It relates to funding within the budget. I raised this matter several times.
What is being done in Shannon is not in order.