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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Jun 2013

Vol. 806 No. 3

Order of Business

It is proposed to take No. 12, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013, back from committee; No. 12a, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; No. 22, Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill 2011 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 3, Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to be taken at 5.45 p.m.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of the opening speeches on No. 3; Nos. 12 and 12a shall be taken without debate; and with regard to the Access to the Countryside Bill 2013, Second Stage of which shall be taken tomorrow, the following arrangements shall apply: the opening speech of Deputy Robert Dowds and of the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group and the Minister or Minister of State, who shall be called on in that order and who may share time, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; the speech of each other Member shall not exceed 15 minutes and such Members may share time; a Minister or a 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; and Deputy Robert Dowds shall be called upon to make a speech in reply that shall not exceed 15 minutes.

Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. 12 and 12a, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2013, back from committee, and motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions, without debate, agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with the Second Stage of the Access to the Countryside Bill 2013 tomorrow agreed to? Agreed.

I will ask about two items of legislation, the first of which is the electoral (amendment) Bill. This is in section A of the Government legislation programme and has been promised for this session. When will the Bill be published? The Taoiseach promised me at the beginning of the session that the consumer and competition Bill would be published without fail this session. Can the Tánaiste confirm that?

The heads of the electoral (amendment) Bill were approved by the Government on 30 April and it is expected to be published this session. Drafting on the consumer and competition Bill is progressing well and it is on track to be published this session.

Two items of legislation were promised but I will not ask about the first because the legislation for the strategic investment bank is not included in the Government legislation programme and I am not sure it will ever happen. The strategic investment fund was announced in August 2011, over a year and a half ago. To set up the strategic investment fund, we need legislation. Legislation has been promised and it appears as No. 87 on the Government legislation programme, Bills which have yet to be approved by the Government. The fund is the forerunner to the strategic investment bank, which is a major plank of the Tánaiste's election campaign. It is about tackling mass unemployment and mass emigration from the State. A year and a half later, it is appropriate to ask when we will see the legislation and when we will be able to see directed investment, as a result of the legislation, from the National Pensions Reserve Fund to the real economy. While we can do little bits in the meantime, the legislation is required. Will it be dealt with in this session or this year?

The legislation will be dealt with this year. The heads of the Bill were approved by Government on 16 April and the Bill will be published this year. The strategic investment fund is a critical pillar in the Government strategy to get the economy moving again, to get people into employment and to get investment into our country. We are proceeding with it.

No one can deny the tribunals, although expensive, did a major service to the State in exposing a web of corruption in planning.

To what Bill is the Deputy referring?

Some politicians, developers and, indeed, some bankers were involved. There was a damning verdict in the Mahon tribunal report. Can the Tánaiste indicate when the planning Bill associated with the Mahon tribunal report will be published? It is important that the Bill be introduced because there is an outcry among the general public and a demand that we deal with this issue once and for all.

Some of the issues arising from the Mahon and other tribunals have already been acted upon in the Government's legislation - for example, the provisions with regard to limitations on political donations and declaration of political donations, and the registration of lobbyists legislation, which is progressing. Some specific planning issues arise from the Mahon tribunal and a legislative measure is being prepared to give effect to the recommendations. It is not possible to give a date at this point for when that legislation will be published, but it is being prepared by the Government.

My question is about the Central Bank (consolidation) (No. 2) Bill 2011. I have in my hand a coroner's report following an inquest into a businessman's untimely death. The National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, is pursuing families and driving them to despair and even death in some cases. It is State terrorism. These are not my words but the words of the county coroner in Tipperary.

To what Bill is the Deputy referring?

The Central Bank (consolidation) (No. 2) Bill 2011. There must be some support for families, business people and ordinary working people who are being driven to pure misery.

The Deputy can discuss it when it comes before the House.

When will it be introduced?

There are two legislative measures that are linked. The Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill will be dealt with on Report Stage today. Following completion of the passage of that Bill, work will proceed on the Central Bank (consolidation) Bill. Obviously, it is not possible to give a date at this early stage, but the intention is that the Central Bank (consolidation) Bill will follow the Bill that is before the House today.

With regard to the public services management Bill, it is a national scandal that today, 13 June, people are still waiting to be paid the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grants. What does the Government propose to do about this?

That is a Topical Issue. I suggest the Deputy send in a notice on it.

Surely the Tánaiste has a view or something to say about it.

I am sure he has, but not on the Order of Business.

He could surely give an answer under the public services management Bill to the people who are waiting to be paid their SUSI grants in June when they should have been paid last September and October. The Tánaiste must have a comment on it. If I were him, I would stand up and answer the question.

He will not. It is not in accordance with Standing Orders. The Deputy should sit down, because he is outside the Standing Orders.

I will sit down, but I am right to ask the question.

You might be right, but not on the Order of Business.

It is right to ask the question here this morning in fairness to the students who desperately need their grants.

I call Deputy Durkan.

When is it proposed to bring forward the geothermal energy development Bill, the mediation Bill and the Horse Racing Ireland (amendment) Bill, Nos. 29, 51 and 57, respectively, in the legislative programme? Have the heads of the Bills been agreed and are they likely to come before the House before the end of this year?

The heads of the geothermal energy development Bill have been approved by the Government and the Bill is being drafted. Publication is expected in the middle of next year. The heads of the mediation Bill have been approved and publication is expected later this year. Publication of the Horse Racing Ireland (amendment) Bill will be later this year as well.

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