Today's Order of Business is Nos. 5, 1, 2, 3 and 4. No. 5 shall be taken without debate. On No. 1, Committee and Remaining Stages shall be taken today. On Nos. 2 and 3, Second Stages shall be taken today and on No. 4 all Stages shall be taken today. Contributions of spokespersons on Second Stages of Nos. 2, 3 and 4 shall be 15 minutes and of all other Senators not to exceed ten minutes. Senators may share time.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreed but I have some questions. The House cannot be unmindful of yesterday's events in Belfast and it would be remiss not to pay tribute to all the parties who stayed until 4 a.m. in an attempt to finalise an agreement which, unfortunately, did not take place. However, discussions are to resume at 12 noon and I speak for all Members in wishing the parties the best of luck in the hope that an agreement will be reached by the end of today. I pay particular tribute to the Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, who remained at the talks until 4 a.m. and also to the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who cancelled an appointment at the opening of the new Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. This highlights the level of commitment which exists.
The Immigration Bill is due to be taken tomorrow. Report Stage of the Bill was ordered yesterday in the Dáil before Committee Stage had been completed and a vote was taken to guillotine Committee Stage. Will the Leader outline the procedure for the Bill in this House? How much time will we have to debate it? This is major legislation in which there is much interest on both sides of the House. If time is needed to tease out the Bill on Committee and Report Stages next week, will we be assured that a guillotine will not be used and that, if the House must rise by next Wednesday, the Bill will not pass if there is still interest in it no matter what Stage has been reached?
What is the position with the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, 1999, which was introduced in the Lower House yesterday? There is speculation that it is about to be withdrawn. It is ordered for debate in this House next week. We would like to know the position. Reports are circulating that it has been withdrawn. Many Members are interested in this, including Senator Bohan and myself who were members of a special subcommittee which produced major recommendations for reform of the Intoxicating Liquor Acts. Perhaps the Leader would inform the House on that.
I endorse what Senator Connor said about Northern Ireland. Everyone sends their good wishes.
Will the Leader consider holding the meetings of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in public? I do not understand why a request that the Governor of the Central Bank should discuss the issues of the single regulator and the Central Bank with the Seanad was refused yesterday by that committee. I raise this because I asked Members of the committee about it and they all gave me different answers and reasons. The only thing on which they agree is that the issue has been deferred.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That is the correct position, Senator Ross. It has been deferred.
I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for that but I am well aware of it. Deferring is a euphemism for refusal. It seems extraordinary that we can ask people such as Neil Kinnock, Professor James Dooge and others distinguished in their own way to come to the House but not someone to answer questions on the relevant—
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
There is a precedent that invitations are not discussed in the House.
Is that a tradition or a rule?
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It is a precedent.
It is one I intend breaking.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I am now ruling on it.
Part of the problem is that these matters must be discussed behind closed doors and not in the House. They are exactly the type of matters which should be discussed in the House and should be exposed. If the Progressive Democrats, who want to abolish the Seanad, continue to stifle discussion on such issues, they should say so and propose that the House be abolished. The Governor of the Central Bank is an important person who can contribute to the House and is specifically—
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I remind the Senator that his group has an eminent representative on the committee. Perhaps he might discuss the matter with him.
It has been discussed with him at length and that is one of the reasons I raise the matter.
I wish to be associated with the good wishes to the ongoing discussions in Northern Ireland. I pay tribute to all the participants, especially the British Prime Minister, the Taoiseach, President Clinton and all the groups on both sides. It is good to see some progress has been made and that the Prime Minister of the UK is considering staying there today and not going to the opening of the Scottish Parliament, which is an historic moment because it is the resumption of self-government in Scotland after so many years. That could be interpreted as a beacon for Northern Ireland on how self-government can be established despite the passage of time. Perhaps the participants in the Northern Ireland Assembly can take comfort from that and that it will provide additional momentum to help them reach a resolution.
I am disappointed the Government side saw fit to vote against the Registration of Lobbyists Bill last night despite the fact that the Minister of State agreed with almost everything in the legislation, except for the detail which could have been dealt with on Committee Stage. It would have been a good precedent to have had a Bill with which the Minister of State agreed in substance accepted in the House. It is a shame we opposed each other on the matter although every speaker on both sides agreed it was necessary that a registration process would be provided and that there would be proper standards of behaviour and conduct regarding paid lobbyists in Leinster House.
I echo Senator Connor's remarks about the Immigration Bill and the Intoxicating Liquor Bill. How does the Leader propose to organise business next week? It appears we will be pushed for time and we do not want to have a long dispute such as we had with the Copyright Bill. Perhaps the Leader could give an outline of time for those Bills which may cause difficulty next week.
I was alarmed but not surprised to note that women still only receive 76 per cent of the average male wage in the workplace despite equal pay legislation. Can we debate this issue when the House returns after the summer because the implementation of equal pay is not happening? It is a shocking indication of the abuse of women in part-time work in particular.
I would like to be associated with the good wishes to the negotiators in Belfast – the Taoiseach, the British Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and all the leaders of the various groups and parties – in what are tense times in the history of Northern Ireland. All our good wishes go with them. We all knew that at some stage following the Good Friday Agreement there would be an event which would take everything down to the wire and this is that event. We hope and pray for a successful conclusion on behalf of all the people.
I join with Senator Costello in sending the good wishes of Seanad Éireann to the people of Scotland on the opening of their new Parliament and the resumption of self–government there. It is a great time in their country's history and, as Leader of Seanad Éireann, I send them our best wishes.
Senators Connor and Costello inquired about the Immigration Bill; we hope to debate the Report and Final Stages next Tuesday. There will be no guillotine or any attempt to stifle debate. I was two years as Leader of the House yesterday and, in that time, there has never been a guillotine on any debate. That shows that anyone who wants to make a contribution to the debate on legislation before the House will not be prevented from doing so. However, it is a privilege which should not be abused. As with other debates which have taken place since I became Leader of the House, anyone who wishes to contribute on the Immigration Bill will be allowed do so.
On the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, Senator Connor knows as a former Member of the Lower House that, when legislation is initiated there, the Seanad must wait until it is dealt with there before we can afford all the necessary time to debate and discuss it. However, that can only be when we receive it from the other House.
Does that mean we will not debate it next week?
Senator Ross brought to our attention his great concern about a matter which was deferred for further consideration, it was not rejected. I recognise that Senator Ross perceives that this proposal presents a genuine opportunity. When it has been discussed further, we will do everything within our power to facilitate the Senator's request.
That is a cop-out.
Senator Jackman requested a debate on equal pay and I will make time available for this.
Order of Business agreed to.