Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Jul 2012

Vol. 771 No. 3

Order of Business

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

It is proposed to take No. 15, European Arrest Warrant (Application to Third Countries and Amendment) and Extradition (Amendment) Bill 2011 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 5, Personal Insolvency Bill 2012 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to adjourn at 2.30 p.m. today, if not previously concluded; No. 16, Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011[Seanad] - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 17, Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad] - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of oral questions; (2) Report and Final Stages of No. 16 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 4 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government; (3) Report and Final Stages of No. 17 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 5.30 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Education and Skills, and the order shall resume thereafter with the Topical Issue debate and oral questions; (4) in relation to the Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012, the Second Stage of which shall be considered tomorrow, the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the opening speech of the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Technical Group and of a Minister or Minister of State, who shall be called upon in that order and who may share their time, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (ii) the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 15 minutes and such Members may share their time; (iii) a Minister or Minister of State, who may speak twice, shall be called upon not later than 1 p.m. to make a speech which shall not exceed 15 minutes; (iv) the main spokesperson for Fianna Fáil shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 15 minutes.

An Ceann Comhairle

There are four proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 16, Report and Final Stages of the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 17, Report and Final Stages of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for the sitting and business of the Dáil tomorrow agreed to? Agreed.

Deputy Willie O’Dea

The Minister is aware of the plight of a number of trainee pilots who have been stranded in the United States after their families paid a king's ransom in fees for their course. Has the Government had any engagement in the situation, in particular the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? Will the Government arrange for the consular section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to get those people together to talk-----

An Ceann Comhairle

That is not a matter for the Order of Business and it will be discussed in the Topical Issue debate.

Deputy Willie O’Dea

-----to them and to arrange for them to be brought home? The Minister wishes to comment.

An Ceann Comhairle

No. It is not a matter for the Order of Business. It will be dealt with during the Topical Issue debate.

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

The matter is being dealt with but I cannot discuss the matter on the Order of Business.

An Ceann Comhairle

I must be fair to the Deputy who raised the matter in an orderly fashion and who has been granted permission to raise it during the Topical Issue debate.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

I wish to ask the Minister about the Joint Committee on Investigations, Oversight and Petitions. As he is aware, there is a commitment in the programme for Government that this would be a powerful committee to receive petitions in respect of public bodies. Ironically, there has been much foot dragging on this very committee that was flagged by the Government as a landmark innovation. Why are the Chief Whip and others dragging their feet and why has a motion not yet been brought forward to set in place the Standing Orders for this committee to allow its members to get ahead and do the work of a powerful committee, as the Government described it?

Deputy Emmet Stagg

The Deputy should ask her own Whip to do something about it.

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I thank Deputy Mary Lou McDonald for her question. I am informed by the Chief Whip that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges will meet next week to deal with the matter. The details of the arrangements made will be conveyed to her.

Deputy Emmet Stagg

I am sure her own Whip will be able to do something.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

My Whip cannot move the motion.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

It has been announced that the European Stability Mechanism will recapitalise banks directly. Will this require a change to the ESM treaty and an amendment to the European Stability Mechanism Act 2012? If so, is that amendment likely to be brought before the House soon?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I do not have the accurate information sought by the Deputy. I will try to find it and communicate it to him directly.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

A number of gas Bills have been proposed, including the common arrangements for gas Bill. Bord Gáis Éireann is transferring work to a company called Balfour Beatty. Subcontractors and employees have been treated shamefully.

An Ceann Comhairle

No, we will not go into that matter.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

It is happening.

An Ceann Comhairle

We do not deal with the treatment of subcontractors on the Order of Business.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

There has been a breach of faith with good workers.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should submit a parliamentary question on the matter.

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I am informed that the Bill will be agreed to later this year, but the heads have not yet been cleared.

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan

Has progress been made in bringing before the House the collective investment schemes (consolidation) Bill, having particular regard to the need to tighten legislation in that area? What about the criminal law (human trafficking) (amendment) Bill which has been promised and seems to have achieved a higher prominence than heretofore?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

There is no date for introduction of the collective investment schemes legislation. The second Bill will be published later this year.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

Is having a minimum price for alcohol Government strategy and does the Government intend to introduce legislation in this regard? Why did the Minister decide not to have a schools summer works programme this year, given that for the past seven or eight years-----

An Ceann Comhairle

No, tabling a Topical Issue would be in order.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

I asked a question, but I did not received an answer.

An Ceann Comhairle

We will try again.

A Deputy

Raise it at the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

I cannot do so, despite my colleague's suggestion.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy cannot raise it on the Order of Business either. He should submit it as a Topical Issue.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

Perhaps the Minister might tell us. We were discussing the construction industry and the need for investment. He has a new schools programme, but why is there no summer works scheme?

An Ceann Comhairle

Has legislation been promised on the issue of cheap alcohol?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I am not aware of promised legislation, but I will obtain the information for the Deputy. If he wants to submit a question on the other matter, I will happily answer it.

Deputy Martin Ferris

A statutory instrument to amend copyright law was introduced via ministerial order and passed without a vote. Yesterday the European Parliament rejected the anti-counterfeiting trade agreement. All Labour Party MEPs voted against us, while all four Fine Gael MEPs supported us. Was there a Government line on the vote and what is the status of the statutory instrument?

An Ceann Comhairle

The statutory instrument was passed. I call Deputy Joan Collins.

Deputy Paul Kehoe

It is like Sinn Féin voting in favour of cuts in the North but not down here.

Deputy Ciarán Lynch

Is it a cross-Border thing?

Deputy Martin Ferris

Does the Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, know where the North is?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I suggest the Deputy submit a specific question on the matter. He has raised issues about which I do not have information.

Deputy Martin Ferris

What is its status?

Deputy Paul Kehoe

Ask the lads in the North what it is like to vote in favour of cuts.

An Ceann Comhairle

I have called Deputy Joan Collins.

Deputy Martin Ferris

What is the status of the statutory instrument following the vote in the European Parliament yesterday?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

We will need to wait for information to know the implications. I cannot give an off-the-top-of-my-head answer.

Deputy Joan Collins

I wish to ask about two Bills. First, the working group on the X case was to revert to the Government with recommendations this month. When will the legislation be enacted? Second, the heads of a Bill on transgender rights were due to be laid before the Dáil in June. When will the legislation be brought before the House?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I am sorry, but will the Deputy repeat the second part of her question?

Deputy Joan Collins

The heads of a Bill on transgender rights were to be laid before the Dáil in June. When will that be done?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I am informed that the Bill is being drafted and will not be published this session. It will be published in the next session.

Deputy Joan Collins

Is that the Bill on the X case?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

No, on the second issue.

Deputy Joan Collins

What about the Bill on the X case?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

The Cabinet has not yet received the report on it.

Deputy Joan Collins

When does the Government expect to receive it?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

I cannot say at this time, but I will find out and let the Deputy know.

Deputy Patrick O’Donovan

When is the data sharing Bill due before the House? Is it expected to apply not only to businesses, but also to public bodies in an effort to clamp down on social welfare fraud?

Deputy Ruairí Quinn

We have no date for publication of that Bill.