Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus last met [14277/06]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on drugs and social inclusion last met. [14285/06]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus last met and when the next meeting is due to be held. [16167/06]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 4: To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus last met. [16187/06]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on drugs and social inclusion last met and when the next meeting is scheduled to be held. [17142/06]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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On a point of order, who makes the decisions about grouping questions such as Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive? While some of the questions before the Taoiseach concern the Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus, two questions concern the Cabinet sub-committee on drugs. What is the rationale behind grouping such diverse subjects together? Perhaps many people will be using drugs by the time Aer Lingus is sold off as planned by the Government. However, grouping these questions in this fashion makes no sense.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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On a related point——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The substance of questions cannot be discussed. Successive Chairs have often ruled that decisions regarding the grouping of questions are not made in the office of the Ceann Comhairle.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the raising of the question by Deputy Rabbitte. Both of my questions concerning Aer Lingus and the Cabinet sub-committee on drugs and social inclusion have been disallowed by the Ceann Comhairle.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputy wishes to take the matter up with the Office of the Ceann Comhairle, it will be pleased to examine the matter.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Ceann Comhairle explain to the House why questions which do not seek the minutes of any Cabinet sub-committee deliberations are disallowed?

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Chair will not discuss decisions of the Ceann Comhairle on the floor of the House. These decisions are made for very valid reasons.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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These were broad questions which were valid.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputy wishes to discuss them, I would be glad to do so but not on the floor of the House. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat so that we can proceed with questions to the Taoiseach. The Chair's decisions are well founded. The Chair studies the questions submitted. I will not waste the time of the House discussing decisions about individual questions made in the Office of the Ceann Comhairle. The Deputy is welcome to come to the office to discuss them.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus last met on 9 December 2004. The work of the sub-committee is completed and there are no arrangements for it to meet again. Responsibility for this issue rests with the Minister for Transport. The Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion last met on Wednesday, 10 May 2006 and will next meet on Wednesday, 5 July 2006.

As I have outlined to the House on a number of occasions, Cabinet committees are an integral part of the Cabinet process. Questions as to the business conducted at Cabinet or Cabinet committee meetings have never been allowed in the House on the grounds that they are internal to Government. The reasons for this approach are founded on sound policy principles and the need to avoid infringing the constitutional protection of Cabinet confidentiality.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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The possible connection between the Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus and the Cabinet sub-committee on drugs and social inclusion is the Government's severe addiction to neo-liberal capitalism and the privatisation of public assets, which it cannot appear to get out of its system. The fact that the Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus has not met since 2004 speaks of a Government which has not examined seriously and in great detail the implications of privatising the national airline.

Why did this sub-committee not meet when critical decisions were being made and the future of 3,500 workers, their communities, airports and the national airline was being discussed? Where did the thorough discussions on the implications and seriousness of handing our national airline to the casino players on the international capitalist marketplace occur? On whether the Government should row back and change its policy of privatisation, where would such a decision and discussion happen if the Cabinet sub-committee has no plans to meet again?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I explained this a number of times last year. The Cabinet sub-committee had a particular job to bring presentations to the Cabinet and get agreement on what it brought forward. That work finished. All discussions since then have been carried out at full Cabinet meetings. The remaining decisions that have to be made will be made with the Ministers for Transport and Finance. They will bring forward their proposals to the Cabinet.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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If there was a necessity to put a Cabinet sub-committee in place, one would have thought it would at least be responsible for invigilating the implementation of the decisions arrived at in respect of an initial public offering.

Market conditions are changing before our eyes. We can monitor the impact of the Air Berlin sale. Is the Taoiseach saying the sub-committee will not be reconvened irrespective of the circumstances that might arise and disable the Government from proceeding as planned by the original sub-committee decision?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The sub-committee was doing an analysis to see what was the best way to move forward. At the time, we had meetings with officials and others, but all decisions since then have been made by the full Cabinet. I do not disagree with the Deputy that the period ahead is crucial. The decisions will be made by the full Cabinet based on the assessment of the Ministers for Finance and Transport.

If there was a requirement for the Cabinet sub-committee to have a lengthier meeting to deal with the issue, we could reconvene it. I do not think that will be the case because it is an important issue and the full Cabinet should deal with it. Often, we use the Cabinet sub-committee system to do preparatory work but when it comes to the decisions everyone is familiar with, the full Cabinet would take them.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Does the Taoiseach have information on the extent of the deficit in the pension scheme? What commitments——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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That question does not arise on Cabinet sub-committees because it relates to what might have been discussed therein. The Deputy's question is pertinent to the line Minister and I suggest he submit it accordingly.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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In light of difficulties in the Air Berlin flotation, does the Taoiseach consider it important that the sub-committee meets urgently? Those difficulties clearly demonstrate the power oil prices have in this sector.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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What is discussed in the sub-committee is not appropriate to the Order of Business.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I am giving a reason. We are talking about the meeting of the sub-committee.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy's question was on the dates on which it meets.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Indeed. Can an early date be arranged given the urgent issues unfolding? Will the Taoiseach acknowledge that this is an important matter? Will he acknowledge that the meeting should happen immediately because of the pension and worker issues yet to be resolved? Does the Taoiseach acknowledge the sub-committee should——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot go into the issues that might be discussed.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I am asking about a meeting.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I have ruled out other Members and cannot make special exceptions.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Will there be an early meeting and ongoing meetings? I suggest that the sub-committee metamorphose in due course into a sub-committee on peak oil because this issue will continue to have an impact on the aviation sector and related industries.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are other ways in which to raise the matter. It was raised by Deputy Rabbitte during Leaders' Questions and dealt with.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that all of these issues are very important, but they are now being dealt with by the full Cabinet. The Cabinet sub-committee is not in operation at this stage. Regular briefings on Aer Lingus are dealt with by the Cabinet.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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When did the Cabinet sub-committee meeting on drugs and social inclusion take place? Did it discuss the waiting lists for persons who need treatment? I will give the House a statistic. In Athlone, there was a waiting time of one year and seven months.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The question of what is discussed at the Cabinet sub-committee is not appropriate to the Order of Business.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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If the Taoiseach is correct in saying the Cabinet will deal with the matter, will he consider scrapping the sub-committee instead of organising another meeting? If the Taoiseach will allow the sub-committee to reconvene, will he encourage its members to examine New Zealand's renationalisation of an airline at its next meeting?

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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What is discussed at a sub-committee meeting is not a matter for these questions.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I do not want to know what was discussed.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Due to Cabinet confidentiality, it would not be appropriate to discuss what might be discussed at a meeting.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Taoiseach consider asking the sub-committee to examine that renationalisation after a disastrous privatisation?

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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It does not arise at this stage. There are other ways to raise the matter.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Considering the heroin and cocaine crisis, has the Taoiseach encouraged the sub-committee on drugs to meet on a more frequent basis?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The sub-committee on the Aer Lingus matter has completed its work. It will only reconvene if it has a task. Currently, the important issues are being dealt with by the full Cabinet.

The Cabinet sub-committee on drugs and social inclusion meets monthly, more or less. The officials group working with the sub-committee meets at least monthly and often more frequently. There is a range of issues involved, not just drugs. That sub-committee has regular meetings.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Will the Taoiseach give the House an example of the inclusion issues other than drugs dealt with by the sub-committee? Can we expect new proposals in the area of that sub-committee's drugs preoccupation, given the fact that notwithstanding best efforts, the situation in this city and in——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot discuss that issue. The Taoiseach will answer the appropriate question, but the second question is probably outside the remit of the Order of Business.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I am not asking the Taoiseach to discuss the substance of the sub-committee's meetings. Can we expect new initiatives given the worsening drug crisis in many urban centres due to the arrival of crack cocaine?

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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There is no need to make a statement. Strictly speaking, the Deputy's question is for the line Minister.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I am not making a statement. I am framing a question. I am asking the Taoiseach——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is framing a question appropriate to the line Minister. The submitted questions deal with the dates on which sub-committees meet, not the substance of their discussions. Due to Cabinet confidentiality, it cannot be discussed on the floor of the House.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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If the Taoiseach strictly observed the Ceann Comhairle's rulings, all he would have to do in the House is stand up, say 11 May, 14 June, 25 October and sit down.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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And that it was raining.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Previously, the Chair has suggested that it would be better if these questions were answered by way of written answers. They take up much of the House's time.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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It has always been the practice that this exact framing of the question is a peg on which to ask some general questions of the Taoiseach rather than particular questions.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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No. That has never been the practice.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It has always been the practice.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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It has been the practice in respect of interdepartmental questions but not Cabinet sub-committees.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I am asking a general question about the worsening drug situation in urban Ireland in particular.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is trying to make a point.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I am merely trying to ask the Taoiseach if the House can expect new measures or initiatives.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is a question for the line Minister.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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To answer the first question, the sub-committee on social inclusion also deals with the issues of the Traveller community, educational disadvantage, the lone parent's allowance and all issues concerning exclusion. They may not deal with such issues on a weekly basis, but they deal with them at each meeting.