Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 19 Jul 2012

Vol. 773 No. 3

Order of Business

The Tánaiste

It is proposed to take No. 5, Supplementary Estimates for Public Services 2012 [Vote 32] - back from committee; No. 5a, motion re membership of committees; No. 12, Gaeltacht Bill 2012 [Seanad] - Committee and Remaining Stages; No. 15, Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad] - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 15a, statements on the Government’s response to the Mahon tribunal recommendations.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Oral Questions; (2) Nos. 5 and 5a shall be decided without debate and any division demanded on No. 5 shall be taken forthwith; (3) Committee and Remaining Stages of No. 12 shall be taken today and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 2.30 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 Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; (4) Report and Final Stages of No. 15 shall be taken today and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 5.30 p.m. today 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; (5) the proceedings in relation to No. 15a shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 45 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the statement of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group, who shall be called upon in that order and who may share their time, shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; (ii) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; and the order shall resume thereafter with Topical Issues and Oral Questions; and (6) the Dáil, on its rising today, shall adjourn until Tuesday, 18 September 2012 at 2 p.m.

An Ceann Comhairle

There are six proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. tonight agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. 5 and 5a, motions re Supplementary Estimate and Membership of Committee, without debate, agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 12, Committee and Remaining Stages of the Gaeltacht Bill 2012, agreed to?

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

Ní aontaíonn muid ar chor ar bith leis an gcaoi ina bhfuil sé seo leagtha amach. Ní bheidh deis ag an Aire Stáit aon leasuithe a ghlacadh. Is é seo an Bille is tábhachtaí maidir leis an nGaeilge agus leis an nGaeltacht a tháinig os comhair an Tí ó tháinig an Rialtas seo i gcumhacht. Is píosa mór reachtaíochta é. Tá nach mór 150 leasuithe molta ag an bhFreasúra. Níl sé i gceist ag an Rialtas aon leasú a chur chun cinn. Nuair a tháinig an Rialtas i gcumhacht, dúradh go mbeadh inchur ag an Oireachtas ó thaobh na reachtaíochta de. Tá siad imithe siar go hiomlán ar sin. Táimid ag cur in aghaidh an rún seo go láidir.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Tá Sinn Féin i gcoinne an bealach ina bhfuil sé i gceist ag an Rialtas déileáil leis an gcuid deireanach den díospóireacht ar an mBille seo - Chéim an Choiste, an Tuarascáil agus an Chéim Dheiridh. Ní chreidimid go bhfuil go leor ama curtha i leataobh chun díospóireacht cuí a dhéanamh ar cheann de na hathruithe is suntasaí i dtaobh an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht atá tagtha chun cinn le fada an lá. Tá beagnach 150 leasuithe os comhair na Dála agus níl ach 180 nóiméad á dtabhairt ag an Rialtas do na trí Chéim deiridh. Tá sé scannalach nach mbeidh mórán níos mó ná nóiméad amháin againn do gach leasú. Ní ró-fhada ó shin a bhí páirtithe an Rialtas, mar Fhreasúra ar an taobh seo den Teach, ag gearán de shíor faoi úsáid an gilitín. Bheadh an Aire Stáit, go háirithe, ag léim suas agus síos nuair a bhí gilitín ar na bacáin. Tá an Rialtas ag iarraidh orainn déileáil le 150 leasuithe roimh 2.30 um tráthnóna inniu. Bhí níos mó díospóireachta ar an mBille cuíosach substaintiúil seo sa Seanad ná mar a bheidh againn sa Teach seo. Tá an Rialtas ag fáil réidh leis an daonlathas. Ní bheidh toghchán Údarás na Gaeltachta againn amach anseo. Ba cheart go mbeadh Teachtaí in ann díriú ar an gceist sin i gceart. Ba chóir níos mó ama a chur ar fáil ionas go mbeidh díospóireacht níos cuimsí againn.

Deputy Joe Higgins

Ní cheart Bille na Gaeltachta a bhrú tríd an Dáil inniu. Molaim go leanfaidh an díospóireacht ar aghaidh go dtí an fómhar ionas gur féidir linn an reachtaíocht a phlé níos faide. Chuir mé fáilte roimh an cinneadh a dhein an Rialtas an Bille seo a thógaint isteach. Tá an-chuid daoine dáiríre sa Ghaeltacht, eagraíochtaí Gaeltachta agus eagraíochtaí Gaeilge go dteastaíonn uathu athruithe agus leasuithe, a dhéanfadh an Bille seo níos éifeachtaí, a chur chun cinn.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Cá bhfuil an t-Aire?

A Deputy

Anseo.

Deputy Joe Higgins

Má tá aon dóchas gur féidir moill a chur ar bánú na Gaeltachta, atá ag tarlú i láthair na huaire, agus polasaithe a thabhairt chun cinn agus a chur i bhfeidhm ionas go mbeidh saol na Gaeltachta faoi bhláth arís, caithfear smaoineamh domhain a dhéanamh ar conas is féidir é sin a dhéanamh. Conas is féidir linn cumas labhartha na Gaeilge a fheabhsú ar fud na tíre freisin? Iarraim ar an Rialtas gan an Bille seo a chríochnú inniu. Ba cheart dúinn dul ar aghaidh leis go dtí Meán Fómhair. Tabharfadh sé sin deis dúinn labhairt leis na heagraíochtaí agus na daoine go dteastaíonn uathu go dáiríre a ladhar a chur isteach agus an ceist a dhéanamh níos fearr. Níl faic le cailliúnt maidir le mí nó dhó breise a chur ar fáil.

The Tánaiste

Tá na Teachtaí ag caint as dhá thaobh a mbéil faoin ábhar seo.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Agus an Tánaiste freisin.

The Tánaiste

Tá siad ag clamhsán faoin méid ama atá ar fáil don díospóireacht seo.

Deputy Dara Calleary

Tá siad ciúin thall ansin.

The Tánaiste

Chuireamar trí uair a' chloig ar fáil an Aoine seo caite, ach níor úsáideadh an t-am sin go léir.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Cá raibh an Tánaiste?

The Tánaiste

Bhí an Bille seo le críochnú ar 3.30 ar an tráthnóna sin, ach ní raibh go leor cainteoirí ar thaobh an Fhreasúra chun an díospóireacht a choimeád ar siúl. Thit an díospóireacht ar 3.10 an lá sin. Tá siad ag teacht isteach inniu ag gearán nach bhfuil dóthain ama ar fáil, cé nár úsáid said an t-am a bhí ar fáil an tseachtain seo caite.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Ráiméis.

The Tánaiste

Ní féidir leo a rá inniu nach mbeidh go leor ama acu.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Is féidir linn.

The Tánaiste

Iarraim ort, a Cheann Comhairle, an cheist a chur.

Question put: "That the proposal for dealing with No. 12 be agreed to."

The Dáil divided: Tá, 86; Níl, 44.

Tá

• Bannon, James.
• Barry, Tom.
• Breen, Pat.
• Broughan, Thomas P.
• Burton, Joan.
• Butler, Ray.
• Buttimer, Jerry.
• Byrne, Catherine.
• Byrne, Eric.
• Cannon, Ciarán.
• Carey, Joe.
• Coffey, Paudie.
• Conaghan, Michael.
• Conlan, Seán.
• Conway, Ciara.
• Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
• Costello, Joe.
• Coveney, Simon.
• Creed, Michael.
• Creighton, Lucinda.
• Deenihan, Jimmy.
• Deering, Pat.
• Doherty, Regina.
• Donohoe, Paschal.
• Dowds, Robert.
• Doyle, Andrew.
• Durkan, Bernard J.
• English, Damien.
• Feighan, Frank.
• Fitzgerald, Frances.
• Fitzpatrick, Peter.
• Flanagan, Terence.
• Gilmore, Eamon.
• Hannigan, Dominic.
• Harris, Simon.
• Hayes, Tom.
• Heydon, Martin.
• Howlin, Brendan.
• Humphreys, Heather.
• Humphreys, Kevin.
• Keating, Derek.
• Keaveney, Colm.
• Kehoe, Paul.
• Kenny, Seán.
• Kyne, Seán.
• Lawlor, Anthony.
• Lynch, Ciarán.
• Lynch, Kathleen.
• McCarthy, Michael.
• McFadden, Nicky.
• McGinley, Dinny.
• McLoughlin, Tony.
• McNamara, Michael.
• Maloney, Eamonn.
• Mathews, Peter.
• Mitchell O’Connor, Mary.
• Mulherin, Michelle.
• Murphy, Dara.
• Murphy, Eoghan.
• Nash, Gerald.
• Naughten, Denis.
• Neville, Dan.
• Nolan, Derek.
• Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
• O’Donnell, Kieran.
• O’Donovan, Patrick.
• O’Dowd, Fergus.
• O’Mahony, John.
• O’Reilly, Joe.
• O’Sullivan, Jan.
• Phelan, Ann.
• Phelan, John Paul.
• Quinn, Ruairí.
• Rabbitte, Pat.
• Reilly, James.
• Ryan, Brendan.
• Shatter, Alan.
• Shortall, Róisín.
• Stagg, Emmet.
• Stanton, David.
• Timmins, Billy.
• Tuffy, Joanna.
• Twomey, Liam.
• Wall, Jack.
• Walsh, Brian.
• White, Alex.

Níl

• Adams, Gerry.
• Boyd Barrett, Richard.
• Browne, John.
• Calleary, Dara.
• Collins, Joan.
• Collins, Niall.
• Colreavy, Michael.
• Cowen, Barry.
• Crowe, Seán.
• Doherty, Pearse.
• Dooley, Timmy.
• Ellis, Dessie.
• Ferris, Martin.
• Flanagan, Luke ‘Ming’.
• Fleming, Tom.
• Grealish, Noel.
• Halligan, John.
• Healy, Seamus.
• Healy-Rae, Michael.
• Higgins, Joe.
• Kelleher, Billy.
• Kitt, Michael P.
• Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
• McConalogue, Charlie.
• McGrath, Finian.
• McGrath, Mattie.
• McGrath, Michael.
• McLellan, Sandra.
• Martin, Micheál.
• Moynihan, Michael.
• Murphy, Catherine.
• Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
• Ó Cuív, Éamon.
• Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
• Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
• O’Brien, Jonathan.
• O’Dea, Willie.
• O’Sullivan, Maureen.
• Pringle, Thomas.
• Ross, Shane.
• Smith, Brendan.
• Tóibín, Peadar.
• Troy, Robert.
• Wallace, Mick.

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Emmet Stagg and Paul Kehoe; Níl, Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Seán Ó Fearghaíl.

Question declared carried.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the proposal for dealing with No. 15, Report and Final Stages of the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 agreed to?

Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

It is not agreed. I wish to object only on the basis of the imposition of the guillotine in regard to this important Bill. There is no excuse for curtailing the opportunity for full participation. I object to the guillotine in principle.

The Tánaiste

This Bill is reforming political funding. It is reducing the limits on contributions that can be made. It is an important item of political reform the Government is anxious to see put through the House. We have had a considerable amount of debate on it.

Question, "That the proposal for dealing with No. 15 be agreed to", put and declared carried.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the proposal for dealing with No. 15a, statements on the Government’s response to the Mahon tribunal recommendations, agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal that the Dáil, on its rising today, shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 18 September 2012 agreed to?

Deputy Joe Higgins

A Cheann Comhairle-----

(Interruptions).

A Deputy

Do your best for Ballybunnion.

Deputy Joe Higgins

I cannot hear myself, a Cheann Comhairle.

An Ceann Comhairle

I appreciate that.

Deputy Joe Higgins

The little elves of Fine Gael and Labour have no need to worry. I will not engage in the posturing that their elders engaged in here for 12 years on the issue of the Adjournment.

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputies.

Deputy Joe Higgins

I want a variation of this, a Cheann Comhairle, because it is not possible that this Dáil rises today with the warnings and the-----

Deputy Emmet Stagg

You can come back on your own if you want, Joe.

Deputy Joe Higgins

-----threats by the IMF against the elderly and the unemployed ringing in our ears and screaming headlines about attacking unemployment, the elderly etc.

(Interruptions).

Deputy Joe Higgins

The Tánaiste tried to make a distinction this morning between the IMF on the one hand-----

An Ceann Comhairle

We cannot have a debate on the issue, Deputy.

Deputy Joe Higgins

-----as part of the troika and Article 4.

Deputy Brendan Howlin

Do not frighten them.

An Ceann Comhairle

We cannot have a debate on that, Deputy Higgins.

Deputy Joe Higgins

The person making the warnings and threatening the levels of unemployment payment etc.-----

Deputy Brendan Howlin

That has nothing to do with this proposal.

Deputy Joe Higgins

-----is the head of the IMF mission whom I met as part of the troika. Unless he or the IMF are suffering from acute policy schizophrenia we have to take it seriously.

Deputy Derek Keating

We are suffering from listening to the Deputy.

Deputy Joe Higgins

We should either have an opportunity today to make statements on that or the Tánaiste should state that there will not be these attacks on the most vulnerable people in our society.

The Tánaiste

There will not be attacks on the most vulnerable people in society and Deputy Higgins or anybody else should not be giving rise to ungrounded fears among people.

Deputy Brendan Howlin

It is scaremongering.

The Tánaiste

That type of scaremongering-----

Deputy Joe Higgins

I have the newspaper here.

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

Sorry, would Deputies be quiet, please?

Deputy Alan Shatter

The Deputy has given up on The Independent.

Deputy Joe Higgins

Deputy Shatter, you will die laughing from your own joke if you are not careful.

An Ceann Comhairle

Schoolchildren leaving sixth class would behave better than what is happening here. Can we hear the Tánaiste, please?

The Tánaiste

The Dáil is rising today with considerable progress made on this country's difficulties. We are rising having secured agreement at European Council level on the separation of bank debt from sovereign debt, something that many people on the Opposition side said could not be done. We have done it. We are rising in circumstances where, yesterday evening, this House completed Second Stage of the personal insolvency legislation, something they told us we would not introduce to deal with the issue of mortgage arrears.

Deputy Timmy Dooley

Monti was only carrying the Tánaiste's bags.

The Tánaiste

We are rising after the announcement by-----

Deputy Billy Kelleher

Did you actually go to Frankfurt, Tánaiste? It is the big tall building in the middle of Frankfurt.

An Ceann Comhairle

Would you ever stop, please?

The Tánaiste

-----the Minister, Deputy Howlin, this week of €2.25 billion of a stimulus package for the Irish economy.

Question, "That the Dáil, on its rising today, shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 18 September 2012", put and declared carried.

An Ceann Comhairle

I call the Tánaiste before everybody disperses. I ask Members to take their seats. The Tánaiste is about to speak.

The Tánaiste

This session has been a particularly long one. As we rise today I want to thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, all of the staff of the Houses, the Members, the press and everybody who works here for their co-operation and the amount of work they have put in. I wish Members of the House an enjoyable break from their endeavours. I do not think any Member of the House who will go on holidays for the full duration of the recess. In practical terms, committees will be back at the beginning of September and I am aware political parties will have their seminars and preparatory meetings in the early part of September, but I want to wish everybody who works in the Houses, Members, press and everybody who is associated with the work here a break and a rest during the course of the recess.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

Cuirim leis an méid atá ráite ag an Tánaiste agus cuirim béim ar an méid a dúradh gur ag obair a bheidh na Teachtaí Dála sa chuid is mó den am as seo go dtí 18 Meán Fómhair. It is very important that we do our job well in this House but we have duties beyond this House, both in our constituencies and nationally, as national politicians. There is no way we can reflect the views of the people in this House if we are not out among the people around the country. Everybody in this House knows that the notion sometimes purveyed that when we are not here, we are not working is false. I have no doubt that, as the Tánaiste said, most of the Members of this House would be lucky to get two weeks holidays and for the rest of the time they will be working at the other elements of this job, which are equally important. It also gives us an opportunity to do research, and I know from Ministers that they will use the time to have meetings in their Departments and to discuss policy issues. I join the Tánaiste in wishing you, a Cheann Comhairle, and everybody the best over the summer period and we will be fighting fit come the autumn.

Deputy Gerry Adams

Aontaím leis an Tánaiste ar an ábhar seo, cé nach n-aontaím leis ar aon ábhar eile. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cheann Chomhairle go háirithe. Rinne sé jab iontach anseo faoi bhrú ag daoine istigh anseo agus ag na meáin chumarsáide. Bíodh sos maith ag gach duine.

An Ceann Comhairle

On my behalf I thank the Tánaiste and the two speakers for their kind good wishes. On behalf of the Members who did not have an opportunity to speak, I in turn offer everybody a very happy and quiet period during the summer. Unfortunately - or fortunately - in my role, I am not in a position to attend conferences during the summer because of my-----

Deputy John Browne

Are you not lucky?

An Ceann Comhairle

-----desire to be impartial. I also thank the vast majority of Members who on a consistent basis give me the necessary support that I need in the Chair. I thank you very much and I wish you all a very happy and enjoyable summer.