Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The two of us did a couple of programmes and he told us he was going to introduce a new Bill. Will the Tánaiste show me where the new Bill is on the schedule?

Is the arrangement in regard to a North-South committee of Deputies and MPs a side deal between the Taoiseach and Sinn Féin or was the Tánaiste party to it? Since it is with MPs rather than MLAs, have the Unionist parties been consulted about their participation in it? The Tánaiste will recall that the work of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution recommended that it would be on a cross-community basis. Will he advise us on that point?

I cannot remember the name of the Bill but it was the subject matter of a famous press conference on 10 October last on the steps of Government Buildings when the Tánaiste said to the Taoiseach "I think we got away with it". The Tánaiste promised there would be urgent legislation. I have the statement from the press conference somewhere. When will that Bill, whatever it is called, be brought before the House? Does the Tánaiste still think he got away with it?

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