Gerry Adams
Ceist:1. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach the number of meetings of the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure that have been held in the past three months. [8950/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 July 2014
Ceisteanna (1, 2)
Joe Higgins
Ceist:2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure has met since the winter recess. [14916/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (52 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
As Deputies are aware it is not the practice, for Cabinet confidentiality reasons, to speak about specific issues discussed at Cabinet committees. The Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure met on four occasions so far this year, with the last three meetings taking place in March, April and June.
The Taoiseach has just dealt with this issue but I will raise a slightly different angle. The supply of water is an essential element of economic infrastructure and there have been many concerns raised recently about the lack of an out-of-hours emergency service by Uisce Éireann.
We are really straying as I understand this would not be discussed at a Cabinet economic infrastructure committee.
No.
Why was it not?
I do not know and the Deputy is asking questions. I am only telling him what I have heard. The question does not concern water. We must stay within the rules to some degree, please.
Will you explain the rule?
A simple question has been asked concerning the number of meetings of the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure that have been held in the past three months. The Taoiseach has given the answer. The question did not ask about Irish Water.
In those months the issue has emerged.
Do not take me for a fool as I am long enough around not to be treated like that.
I am not.
Let us stick to the rules of the game to some extent at least.
I wonder about the merits of questions to the Taoiseach as they are currently organised. We deal with issues that are six or seven months old. The leader of Fianna Fáil and others, including myself, have queried how these questions are ordered and I want to raise an issue concerning an essential element of economic infrastructure only to be told it is not in order.
Correct. It is not appropriate to put questions to the Taoiseach when another specific question regarding a number of meetings has been asked.
I thank the Ceann Comhairle for his openness in the conduct of this business. I will sit down, having once again been "section 31'd".
The Deputy and his colleagues in Northern Ireland have Question Time, as we do, with questions asked and an answer expected. A habit has grown whereby we deal with four or five questions in the entire hour because we stray into other areas. The result is we never get through the agenda. Do not try to put pressure on me.
We will get through it very quickly like this.
Perhaps there is a FÁS course for those opposite on how to write questions.
I call Deputy Joe Higgins.
Is that so it could be done on the cheap?
I have called Deputy Joe Higgins.
It would be on the cheap anyway.
I am sure the interjection by the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, is meant to be helpful but unfortunately it is more difficult than that. We are not allowed to frame a question asking what was discussed at the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure.
Correct.
That is the problem. The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, would have to deal with constitutional change before we could ask a question along the lines he suggests. That leaves us with a problem. In fairness to the Ceann Comhairle, until now he has seen how limited that formula is and he has allowed latitude to discuss issues arising from the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure, for example. Will the Taoiseach remind the Dáil of the role of the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure? Will he tell us, with regard to the meetings covered in his answer, whether there has been movement on infrastructural investment for crucial areas of the economy that are pushing forward? The greatest infrastructural need now is housing and there must be urgency about social housing-----
That is a separate question.
What role does the Cabinet committee have in that regard and have there been urgent meetings to deal with the issue?
I am afraid that is a separate question.
I will try to help the Deputy. The work of the Cabinet committee on economic infrastructure includes implementation of a number of commitments in the programme for Government regarding NewERA and infrastructural investment. That is supported by senior officials, bringing together the key Departments involved. The question about housing is a matter for the committee on social policy, as it deals with social housing, homelessness, boarded-up units, etc. I can provide some information about that in a moment.
In that case-----
I am sorry for interrupting but the question asked concerned the number of meetings held.
I have answered that.
If somebody asked about the purpose of the economic infrastructure committee, it would be a different issue. This is a simple question concerning the number of meetings held. We are not getting through the agenda because of this.
I answered that question.
Given that there has been an underspend in the capital programme every year with regard to the allocations for capital investment in roads, schools and so on, employment could be created if the process was done properly. There are issues regarding youth unemployment, for example, and it has been indicated that it has not been responded to adequately by the Government.
We are straying again.
Is the Taoiseach satisfied that there have been enough meetings of this committee on economic infrastructure, given the very poor performance of the Government in the spending for capital projects? The allocation was underspent this year, last year and the year before. Given the Taoiseach's response so far, the committee is not meeting enough to deal with the issues arising with regard to capital projects that would give badly needed jobs to people in the construction sector and the wider economy.
The Deputy mentioned the capital spend but the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, is carrying out a comprehensive review of expenditure for all Departments at this time in preparation for the budget later in October. With regard to the Youth Guarantee, the Minister for Social Protection has already met representatives of the OECD on a number of occasions, as well as other groups involved in the issue. Legislation is being prepared as part of general social protection legislation to deal specifically with the Youth Guarantee.
Deputies will be able to have a wider debate with the next question.
If everybody agreed, we could set aside Standing Orders for a few moments and usefully discuss our Taoiseach's questions-----
We will not discuss that now. It is a matter for the Whips.
May I ask-----
Somebody must put a stop to all of this.
All of what?
It is unfair to people who have other questions that are never reached because we stray off into other areas. My job, which is not very popular, is to say "No, the Deputy cannot". It is easier for me to sit back and let Deputy Adams ramble on for an hour until it is finished.
I think the Ceann Comhairle would acknowledge that not only do I ask lots of questions and do not stray all over the place-----
I am asking the Deputy to move on now to Question No. 3 which is a real question about discussions the Taoiseach has had with church leaders.
A real question?
The Deputy has got his answer four times to Questions Nos. 1 and 2. He may not be happy with the answer but he can come back to it the next day.
I am not happy that I was not able to put the supplementary questions.
The Deputy put supplementary questions three or four times.