Today's Order of Business is Item 1, Committee Stage of the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill, 1993, until 6 p.m.; Item 32 will be taken from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Order of Business.
I wish to raise a matter with the Leader of the House which was raised last week arising from a judgment made by you, a Chathaoirligh, which disallowed discussion on certain aspects of the road transport network. I accept that ruling but arising from it there has been considerable concern in my party, and in all parties, about the situation in local government at present. The financing of certain authorities is under question, powers of members have been eroded and there is a clear absence of any sense of clarity about the future of local government. I ask the Leader of the House to provide time over the next two or three weeks for a lengthy debate on all aspects of local authorities. It is a matter of serious concern to a large number of Members of this House and all parties would welcome an opportunity to discuss it.
I ask the Leader of the House to report any progress on his attempts to restart the debate on Northern Ireland.
I support the comments made by Senator Manning and I add to them in that there is a lack of clarity in central Government also.
When is it intended to debate the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, which was launched in Dublin Castle? Perhaps it is a throwback on the part of the Government but it seems that an increasing number of decisions and announcements are made in Dublin Castle rather than in the Houses of the Oireachtas. There is something curious about that.
Back to the empire.
This is the place where these matters should be debated and everything up to now has excluded the Oireachtas from debate. It is a matter of some urgency that we debate that particular document in the House. I ask the Leader to make time available at the earliest opportunity so that this can be done.
Also, I ask the Leader to confirm that the arrangements which were made last week in respect of the time allocation during Private Members' Business will operate again this week.
I ask the Leader to provide time for a debate on the problem of waste management and disposal.
I welcome the opportunity for Statements on the Developing the West Together report, entitled A Crusade for Survival, which hopefully will be taken tomorrow. I ask the Leader if he would consider widening the debate to include a similar subject, the working arrangements for county enterprise partnership boards and consider providing more time so that both items could be taken together.
I again call for time for a debate on the fishing industry and the impact of EU policy on it. I also request the Leader of the House to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to come to the House to discuss a matter which was recently brought to my attention, that is, that somebody over 65 years of age can get a passport for three years only.
Senator, is this not a more suitable matter for the Adjournment?
It impacts directly because of the age discrimination aspect of the issue. It is a wider issue than one for the Adjournment.
Most Members of the House will have received the latest report of the International Fund for Ireland. This is a matter which impinges on my own part of the country. It also has wider implications in a cross Border context and in the context of the international dimensions that are attached to the funding of the International Fund for Ireland. In view of this, would the Leader of the House make time available this session to debate this report?
I support the call for a debate on local authorities provided it is a broad debate which would include the topical issue of urban extension which affects local authorities. As far as this House is concerned, the legislation is clear but it has connotations which have a national context. In view of this I would like to see a debate on this issue.
I also support the call by Senator McGowan for a debate on the county enterprise boards. At this early stage, these boards should be identified as the vehicle by which applications for development take place rather than through a series of bodies. I would welcome a debate on this issue.
I support the call for a debate on local government. If a debate is allowed, would the Leader of the House be in a position to state the Government's intention regarding the European charter of local self-government? The UK and Ireland are the only two states that have not signed this charter. As there is evidence that a subtle effort is being made to phase out local authorities, such a debate should take place as quickly as possible.
I support Senator Crowley's remarks on the passport issue. Recently I could only get my driving licence renewed for eight years because after the age of 70, one can only renew a licence yearly. This is age discrimination. The youth and senior citizens of this country are being discriminated against regarding driving licences and insurance. May I remind the House that many Members will be coming into this age bracket when they renew their licences. It is important that Members should not support discrimination of this kind. Insurance companies are also discriminating against senior citizens. It is something we must try and protect ourselves against, if possible.
I support the call by Senator Manning for a debate on local authorities. Such a debate should include the role and funding of local authorities and the role of public representatives because our powers as public representatives are being diminished every day. This was evident from the speech made by the Minister for the Environment in this House last week.
The Government should notify local authorities immediately of their funding for 1994.
I am happy to support a debate on all the problems experienced by local government but I do not share the general grief that potholes will no longer be one of the predominant preoccupations of this House. I found it an almighty yawn. It is ridiculous that the Upper House of a Parliament should spend so much time drivelling on about potholes.
May I remind the Senator that there are enough potholes on North Great Georges Street?
(Interruptions.)
There is a forum to raise these issues. Most Members of the House are members of local authorities and this matter should be dealt with there rather than in the Upper House.
There are a few potholes on North Great Georges Street which the Senator, as a local representative, could look after.
Senator Norris, do you have a question for the Leader of the House?
I give my support to a wide ranging discussion on this important subject relating to local authorities. No doubt all Members will contribute to the debate. As I said, there is a forum where Members can raise the issue of potholes but it is not here.
Regarding a debate on Bosnia which we asked for last week and which is still relevant, although the Leader took the matter seriously he indicated there may be a problem about the availability of the Tánaiste. As the proposer of the motion, I would welcome the presence of the Tánaiste, but it is not absolutely necessary; a Minister of State would suffice. It is important that we discuss this issue.
Finally, I raise a matter about which many people are concerned — the drug problem in our inner cities. I ask that a date be set for a debate on this issue.
I join with Members who requested a debate on local authority funding for roads, etc. Senator Burke spoke about the powers of local representatives; I am sure Senator Norris will agree they are the representatives of the people at that level. It is important to have a debate on this issue because the powers of local authorities are being drawn into a central area. Most of the powers of local representatives are now being discharged from Dublin Castle in the form of different three year agreements, programmes for economic expansion and different Programme for Economic and Social Progress programmes.
I ask the Leader of the House if there will be a time limit on the debate on the report, A Crusade for Survival? Will it take place tomorrow? Will it be a two hour debate? Although I am not looking forward to it, when will Committee Stage of the Road Traffic Bill, 1993, be resumed?
I support Senator Manning and other speakers who called for a debate on local authorities. Senator Norris mentioned the drug problem. This important issue should be discussed in this House. Will the Leader ensure the Minister for Justice, Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Howlin, attend? Like Senator Norris, I believe this is not only a city problem, it affects the entire country, including the most remote parts. This matter should be publicly addressed and the public should be alert to what is happening throughout the country.
I sympathise with the desire for a debate on local authorities. Perhaps the Whips could formulate a way in which we could have a wide ranging debate on the issues raised today. The Minister for the Environment, Deputy Smith, will bring forward legislation dealing with the June elections; Senator Ross should not look so worried, they are only urban elections. That would give us the opportunity to debate these issues. I believe we could formulate a way of ensuring a wide ranging debate on local authorities. The expertise in this House would be invaluable to the Minister.
Regarding Northern Ireland, Bosnia and other issues which are being actively pursued at present, I hope to have more information on those issues. I would like to inform Senator Dardis as regards item 4 on the Order Paper — the Programme for Competitiveness and Work— we will discuss that document as soon as possible.
The new time allocations are now in place for Private Members' Business. Senator Kelly raised the issue of waste management. Legislation has been promised on this and it should be introduced soon. Item 3 — the Developing the West Together Report entitled Statements on A Crusade for Survival— will be taken tomorrow. There will be no time restriction on any Senators who wish to speak on this important issue. We will see how the debate progresses before we decide to bring in other issues. The debate will not be concluded tomorrow but will be left on the Order Paper.
There will definitely be a debate on the fishing industry within a month. This will give all Senators a chance to make their views known. I will make note of Item 9, which relates to the International Fund. Other issues are being actively pursued. The Road Traffic Bill will be taken in the first week of March.
Order of Business agreed to.