Today's Order of Business is items 1,2 and 3. Item 1 will be taken until 1 p.m. There will be a sos from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and item 2 will be taken from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. with, by agreement, ten minutes per speaker. Item 3 will begin at 3 p.m. and will conclude not later than midnight.
Order of Business.
With regard to item 1, I am informed by our spokesperson that the Minister may accept most of the amendments put forward. The Bill may, therefore, be dealt with more quickly than might have been anticipated. The Leader may wish to consider bringing forward item 2, although that may not suit him if Ministers are organised for attendance.
What are the Leader's intentions with regard to the extensive legislative programme he announced recently? Does he envisage extra sittings to ensure the programme is dealt with, as we all wish?
I am delighted the Leader has made time available to ensure the Committee Stage of the Refugee Bill, 1996, is completed this week.
Last week I referred to disinformation with regard to consumer items. The tobacco company, Philip Morris, has taken full page advertisements in some British and Irish newspapers informing people that passive smoking is no more dangerous than eating a biscuit a day. It is important that people get true information. The House should congratulate the chief executives of Irish health boards who made it clear today that people should not take information from a tobacco company which is contrary to what they are informed by health boards, cancer societies and all other acknowledged experts.
Has the Senator a question on today's Order of Business?
Given the tobacco industry is pouring huge amounts of money into what they call "the no danger of other people's smoke", we need to ensure debate on the matter. People are being misled and we should be fully informed. I am sure the Minister for Health would appreciate the opportunity to come to the House to outline the Government's position and that of all the professionals. We are at a point where tobacco companies are telling people to ignore their doctors and that is dangerous when we are trying to make people health conscious.
With regard to item 2, the Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 1996, the Leader has indicated a time limit of one hour with ten minutes per speaker. If the Minister takes 20 minutes that will leave little time for others. It is a straightforward item of legislation; but in the event that the normal rota applies, some of those who wish to speak on it would not have a chance to do so. Senator Honan is anxious to speak on the Bill. Can the Leader accommodate us in that regard?
Is the Leader of the House aware of the serious problem that has arisen in County Clare in the oversupply of milk to the co-operative which has led to fines being imposed on milk producers — mainly small milk producers in the most disadvantaged areas of the county?
There are more appropriate ways of raising that issue.
Will the Leader draw the attention of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry to the matter because it is creating serious hardship for farmers, especially the smaller farmers? Some of them face bills of up to £10,000 for the oversupply of milk. Many of them will not receive premium cheques for this summer. Perhaps the Minister would indicate if he will deal with this matter at European level in the same manner in which he dealt with the beef fines so as to alleviate the hardship caused to over 500 farmers.
I support Senator Daly because this is a country wide problem. Those who are subject to it took the advice of experts in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and increased their stocks and production in order to be economic. As a result of doing what they were told to do by my great friends, the experts, many farmers may go out of business.
As I pointed out to Senator Daly, there are other ways of raising this matter.
I know that, but it is a serious matter and this is the only place we can raise it. We will not have a chance to discuss it unless the Minister comes here, which I believe he should. Where are experts driving this country? One day they tell us to do something, the next day we are in a crisis and they deny they ever gave us advice; but we know that they did. They have driven the farmers mad and will put them out of house and home.
The Senator is being misled.
Some experts will lock the door and walk out after the farmers.
I agree with the compliment paid by the Leader of the Opposition to the Minister of State, Deputy Gilmore, who has been open minded in taking on suggestions from all sides of the House. I do not think it will be possible to reschedule this morning's business but I thank the Senator for his help in the matter. As to future business, I envisage we will be sitting on three days most weeks from now until the end of this session. Next week's arrangements have yet to be confirmed but I hope we will have a debate on the Forfás report, as requested by a number of Members. As I mentioned yesterday the An Bord Bia Bill will be a Seanad Bill and I hope to take it next week, which will allow many concerns raised this morning to be aired. I also hope to complete the Refugee Bill on Tuesday and to take Second Stage of the Health (Amendment) Bill. There is a heavy programme of legislation, which is why I expect we will sit three days per week from now. I will give a fuller list of legislation to the House early next week.
Senator O'Toole mentioned misinformation and conflicting claims made in highly financed campaigns. If the Senator could devise a formula of words whereby we could have a debate on the matter, I would be more than happy to make an hour available in the next few weeks. It is an important issue and I thank him for bringing it to the attention of the House.
Senator Dardis raised Item 2 on today's Order Paper. Senator Honan will be heard and we will be flexible — there is no way that she would not have a chance to make her contribution. I suggest to Senator Daly that the best way to raise his issue is on the Adjournment or on the An Bord Bia Bill next week.
Order of Business agreed to.