Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Ceann Comhairle is in a state of shock that the proposals were agreed. Well done. It is a new year's resolution.

One of the first acts of the so-called rainbow Government of 1994-97 was to make an exceptional fund available for the repair of county roads. What we witnessed on yesterday's "Six One" news and the reports from all over the country require that some emergency Government funding be made available to local authorities. The current estimate is €150 million. Did the Government consider this matter at its meeting this morning and is there to be a response from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government?

What is the expected publication date of the proposed wildlife (amendment) Bill, which is mentioned in section A of the Government's legislative list? Is it to be published before the end of March?

I gave the Taoiseach notice of my next questions, as I have raised them previously. Upon the closure of the Dell complex in County Limerick, the Government set up a task force to deal with the consequences and opportunities for the mid-western region. Under the chairmanship of Mr. Denis Brosnan, that task force produced an interim report that was to be debated in the Dáil, but no such debate has occurred. Will the Taoiseach instruct the Chief Whip to make Government time available at an appropriate time so that the House can debate the recommendations in the task force's report?

May I make a similar request in respect of the publication of the scheme dealing with the lost at sea situation, namely, that time be allocated for a debate in the House prior to the scheme being sent to a committee?

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