It is proposed to take Item 1, Second Stage of the Animal Remedies Bill, 1993, until 2 p.m. I propose 30 minutes per spokesperson and 15 minutes thereafter; Item 2, the Report Stage of the Industrial Development Bill, 1993, to be taken at 2 p.m. Thereafter Item 3, the Committee Stage of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill, 1993, until 6 p.m. to be resumed at 8 p.m., if necessary, to conclude Committee Stage and all Stages. Item 26, Private Members' Business, to be from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.; Adjournment Matters to be at the conclusion of business.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business as outlined by the Leader of the House is agreed.
May I ask the Leader of the House if he has any information on the Opsahl report? May I suggest that the three Members of this House who are also Members of the British-Irish inter-parliamentary body, which is meeting in Cork today and yesterday, be given an opportunity to report to the House on the deliberations of that body? While I believe all Senators approve of the principle of co-operation between the two Parliaments, this co-operation is not sufficient if it is confined to a small number of Members. It would, therefore be worthwhile if the House could hear some details of the activities of this body over these two days from those Members attending it on our behalf.
I recently requested the Leader of the House for an outline of the outstanding legislation for the reminder of this session, and I see it is substantial. In this context there is a bad image being presented to the public by Members of the Oireachtas in the rush to close this session. I believe it is in the interests of all Senators to indicate to the Government Chief Whip that this House is prepared to sit for as long as necessary to deal adequately with the legislation.
To date, this House has not had recourse to the guillotine this session. I believe there is enough time to deal adequately with legislation over the coming weeks. Any intention to rush through legislation before the end of this session will reinforce cynicism about political representatives and will reinforce the negative public image of the operations of the Houses of the Oireachtas. This would not be the interests of Members from either side of the House.
Regarding a matter raised several times over the last number of weeks, namely, the delay in the publication of proceedings of the House, I want to make clear that I attach no blame to the reporting staff or the staff in the Editor's Office — this may not have been made clear previously — because they can only work with the resources at their disposal.
The extra demands of the developing committee system are putting this staff under strain. I believe it is wrong that this House should be given a lower priority than committees. The Government Chief Whip gave assurances to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges that the status of this House would not be altered following the establishment of the committees. In stressing this I believe Senators should emphasise their own rights on this issue. I ask the Leader of the House to endeavour to resolve the matter.
I asked the Leader to provide time for a debate on school transport. It is some time since the provision of school transport was introduced. Many problems have arisen and the services has been established long enough to warrant an examination of its effectiveness. This could be undertaken very profitably in this House, and I ask the Leader if it will be possible to arrange an appropriate debate before the close of the present session.
May I ask the Leader of the House if it would be possible for the Minister for Social Welfare to address us on the ongoing problem of equality, where some people are receiving much more money than others and representations are being made by the legal profession? The situation is now serious, particularly in my own area. Other Senators are aware that no recognition has been given to representations made by Members of the Oireachtas, whereas if one sends letters through a legal representative they are acknowledged and receive a speedy response. Would it be possible for the Minister or a Minister of State to attend the House and inform us of the up to date situation?
I would like to support what my colleague Senator O'Toole has said about the Order of Business in this House, and the unseemly rush which we get every year at this time with Bills being rushed through the House. This is particularly so in relation to the Animal Remedies Bill, 1993 for which we did not even receive an explanatory memorandum, so it is difficult to know how we are supposed to deal with it.
May I also support Senator Dardis in his comment about the publication of the proceedings of this House. I have raised this matter repeatedly over a number of weeks, and would point out that today we received the Official Report of Seanad Éireann for 19 May, and this is 30 June. That is simply not acceptable. The report of sub-committees of the Dáil are produced within a matter of one week, and I really think it is intolerable. I hope that you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh will pass on to the appropriate authorities this strong feeling of the House on the matter.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I can assure the Senator the matter will be looked at by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
I thank Senator Manning for raising the matter of the Opsahl report. My reaction is a mixture of thanks and some embarrassment because I was the one who said it should be debated here. I know the Leader has done his best because, though the House is busy, the report is to be debated next week or the week after. Unfortunately, six months ago I arranged to be away for three weeks as and from the day after tomorrow and I feel not a little embarrassed. I would be happy if the debate was postponed until the autumn, but that is a matter for the House.
I would like to ask the Leader if he is in a position to say when the tax amnesty Bill will be with the Dáil, when it will come before the Seanad and how much time will be allotted for discussion on it. As regards disadvantaged areas, I see the Minister of State is in the House and perhaps the Leader could find out from him the present position in relation to appeals and the extension of the disadvantaged areas scheme.
I support Senators Dardis and Norris in regard to the late publication of the Official Report. I do not know whether it is a matter for this House or not, but I am also concerned by the scant coverage of the proceedings of this House in Oireachtas Report. I was travelling last Sunday evening and listening to This Week in the Oireachtas on the radio, which lasts for 20 or 25 minutes, and during that time not one item from the Seanad was reported. It finished up by saying that the Dáil and Seanad would meet again this week. I think the scant coverage of this House is disgraceful.
Senator McGowan has raised the issue of school transport several times and I support his call for a debate on this issue. There is evidence that there is a move to privatise school transport; there is an investigation and, seemingly, a report. In view of the experience one has at local level on many issues arising from the anomalies in the school transport system, I support the case being made by Senator McGowan for a debate.
As regards Senator Manning's views of the British-Irish parliamentary group, I am sure we will consider some way of providing some report to Members. On the Opsahl report, I find myself with a difficulty now having listened to Senator Wilson because the last phone call the Whip made before coming to the House was to the Tánaiste. We will have to speak to the Whips and leaders of the groups after the meeting today.
I am surprised at Senator Norris, because I dealt at length yesterday with the legislative programme for the coming weeks and thought there was general agreement that we were endeavouring to ensure there would be no guillotine in this House. There has never been any suggestion of a close-off date in this House. It was made clear yesterday that most of the legislative programme is going into Committee in the Dáil, and the only two pieces of legislation Senators will have to deal with between now and the summer recess are the tax amnesty Bill on Thursday, 8 July 1993, and the European Communities Bill. The reason the tax amnesty Bill is being taken in the Seanad on 8 July, and not the 13 July, is that the Dáil session ends on 9 July and if there are amendments by this House it means the Minister can go back to the Dáil with them.
With regard to the explanatory memorandum on the Animal Remedies Bill, 1993, obviously something has gone wrong with it along the way because I have a copy and I am sure other Members have as well. Senators McGowan and Sherlock mentioned school transport. It may well be that we will get an opportunity to discuss it before the summer recess.
Order of Business agreed to.