John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members' business agreed to? Agreed.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Does the legislative list announced by the Whip for the summer session run from 1 April until the Dáil resumes after the summer recess in the autumn or until the House rises in July? Seventeen Bills are included in this section of the legislative programme. The Taoiseach answered a question from Deputy Ó Caoláin on the health (long-term residential care services) Bill, which was to be put through by the Minister for Health and Children before Christmas. I am not sure of the scale or nature of the problem with this legislation so far as its constitutionality or whatever is concerned. It is included among the 17 Bills to be published before the beginning of the next session. Does this mean the Taoiseach expects it to be ready before the House rises for the summer recess in July?

The sale of alcohol Bill is No. 33 on the legislative programme. Does the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform intend to bring forward proposals on sale of alcohol outlets before this Bill is put before the House? I understand he previously indicated an intention to do so.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Arising from the Taoiseach's statement earlier today and his confirmation to the House during Leaders' Questions of his intention to resign from office on 6 May, what arrangements will be made for the election of a new Taoiseach? Tuesday, 6 May is the day following the May bank holiday. The House does not usually sit, as it should, on the Tuesday following a bank holiday. Is it intended that the House will sit on 6 May to elect a Taoiseach? What arrangements are planned for the election of a successor following the Taoiseach's resignation on 6 May?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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To clarify, is it intended that the Taoiseach's resignation will happen on the same day——

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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——and will be followed shortly thereafter by the election of a new Taoiseach and presumably the appointment of a new Cabinet?

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I seek clarification of the Taoiseach's response to Deputy Kenny regarding the health (long-term residential care services) Bill. It was indicated in the spring programme that this Bill would be published during the last session, but we are now told it will be published during the summer session. As the Taoiseach has said on many occasions, the parliamentary session runs until the first day of the next term. In the case of the summer session, this means the end of September. Will the Taoiseach tell us with certainty that we will deal substantively with this legislation in the House before the summer recess?

The new legislative programme includes, under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children, the eligibility for health and personal social services Bill and the nurses and midwives Bill, both of which have been promised repeatedly and in respect of which recurrent delays have arisen. The nurses and midwives Bill was included in the previous programme for publication at the start of this year. Now, however, we are told it has been put back another 12 months. This is an incredible situation. What has gone wrong in the Department of Health and Children that legislation is being continually held back and deferred? These serious matters require address.

It has been reported that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is considering a change in legislation to accommodate vending machines in betting offices throughout the State. Regardless of whether this is the case, will the Taoiseach avail of this opportunity to scotch absolutely any such idea or notion given that such a development would represent a further deepening of the already serious gambling crisis that exists in this State?

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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What is the Taoiseach's response to the prospect of further deepening the gambling crisis that exists in this country by means of the speculated introduction of legislation by the Minister?

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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That is hardly an assurance.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Media reports indicate that the civil partnership Bill runs to 200 pages and outline what is and is not included in it. Yet, it is listed in section C of the legislative programme which contains those Bills in respect of which heads have yet to be agreed by the Government. When will the Bill be introduced in this House?

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The foreshore amendment Bill is listed as one of the Bills for which heads have yet to be approved by the Government and for which it is not possible to indicate a date of publication. Legislation in this area has been promised by the Government since 1998 under the draft coastal management plan. This identified the need to amend existing legislation to provide for public participation. This relates to the need to sign the Aarhus Convention and implement the EU public participation directive.

Many important projects are in the pipeline, including, for example, wind energy projects. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government indicated previously that such projects would not be granted until the relevant legislation is amended. When will this Bill be brought forward? Is there is a hold-up because this particular area of responsibility is being moved from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government? That decision was made in October but the change has not yet been implemented.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach has responded to a question from Deputy Kenny on the health (long-term residential care services) Bill which was promised in the last session and again in this one. Is it a realistic prospect that it will be brought forward in this session? If not, are there any proposals for interim measures to alleviate the hardship experienced by people who have been waiting for this legislation?

In regard to the prison development approval (confirmation) Bill, which will facilitate the prison at Thornton Hall, is it still the Government's intention to have the Central Mental Hospital moved to that site, thus further stigmatising patients with mental illness? Has there been a change of heart?

Johnny Brady (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Is Deputy Reilly aiming for the contract?

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I normally welcome the publication of the list of promised legislation, the pink paper. I especially welcome the crime prevention legislation and the other legislation in the justice area. Does the Government — I refer in particular to the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan — intend to introduce any of the Bills mentioned on the pink paper before the end of this session specifically to put behind bars those who are perpetrating the kinds of serious crimes which are obviously getting out of hand?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No speeches are allowed.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Other speakers have referred to such crimes, which are frightening people.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Taoiseach, on the legislation.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I emphasise that if action is not taken before the summer, it will be too late.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot have speeches.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Will they be passed in this session?

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I beg the Taoiseach to introduce some interim regime to assist a 99 year old person whose care is no longer being paid for by the subvention office.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is completely out of order.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Is the Taoiseach aware that legislation to prohibit the advertising of alcohol to young people is not included in the draft legislative list? Will it be covered in another Bill? Given that dental treatment is not available to children in counties Cavan and Monaghan who are leaving national school, when will the dentists Bill be debated in the House? When will the health information Bill, which will help us to get facts from the health sector, be introduced in the House?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The legislative programme states that the property services regulatory authority Bill will give effect to the report of the auctioneering review group, but it does not mention the regulation of property management agents. Will the Bill provide for the regulation of such agents? Can I take it from the legislative programme that no legislation will be introduced in this session to deal with the company law aspects of property management companies, which have a much more significant effect on the problems faced by people living in management company developments?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is legislation promised in this area?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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The Taoiseach indicated earlier in response to my party leader that the Government accepts all 15 recommendations made in the Health Information and Quality Authority's report on the misdiagnosis of Ms Rebecca O'Malley's cancer. While a number of those recommendations relate to governance issues, some of them will require serious additional resources.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You cannot go into that now.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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I think I can, a Cheann Comhairle.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, you cannot.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Will a Supplementary Estimate be introduced so that these recommendations can be implemented? The two hospitals concerned are two of the so-called centres of excellence for cancer care. They do not have the capacity to implement the recommendations and the proposals for cancer care. Considering the amount of money that has been allocated to the HSE this year, the only way the recommendations can be implemented is by means of a Supplementary Estimate. Will a Supplementary Estimate be introduced to implement the cancer strategy and the recommendations of the Rebecca O'Malley report?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is not in order unless the Supplementary Estimate is promised. Is a Supplementary Estimate promised?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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It will be required. If a Supplementary Estimate is not introduced, there is no point in saying the recommendations will be accepted.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Are heads of a Bill being drafted to amend the 2004 Act pertaining to the three State airports? When will Mr. Peter Cassells's report on the debts of the three airports be made available to the House?

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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May I ask the Taoiseach about the date for the forthcoming referendum on the Lisbon treaty? He told Deputy Kenny that it will probably be held on Thursday, 12 June. Has the Taoiseach reflected further on the matter? Will it definitely be held on Thursday, 12 June? When are we likely to get the wording of the question that will be put to the people on referendum day?

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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What about Friday, the 13th?

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I cannot believe I have to raise this matter again. Will the Taoiseach tell me when the national monuments Bill will be brought before the House? When I asked this question before Christmas, the Taoiseach assured me that the Bill would be introduced in the House in 2008. That has not yet happened, however. The Bill seems to have slipped for one reason or other.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I asked the Taoiseach when we can expect the publication of the wording on which people will vote when the referendum takes place.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is not in order, strictly speaking.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I assume it will be in the legislation.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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No, it is not in the legislation.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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I welcome the international conference on the banning of cluster munitions that is to take place in this country. On the last occasion, when the Ottawa Convention that banned landmines was being prepared, the Government prepared a valuable statutory instrument that influenced the conference. On this occasion, does the Government intend to prepare a statutory instrument on the banning of cluster munitions? I asked that question previously. Such an instrument would guide the outcome of the international conference in Croke Park, in which many nations will take part.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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The decision of the Irish and Norwegian authorities to draft a statutory instrument in advance of the conclusion of the conference on landmines ensured that a strong Ottawa Convention was agreed. When this year's conference is over, it will be too late to seek to influence the outcome of it.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Fine Gael has published a Private Members' Bill on the same issue and we may get an opportunity to bring it before the Dáil over the next few weeks.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is not relevant.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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We hope the Government will accept the Bill and thereby solve the problem.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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I have drafted a statutory instrument and I would welcome Fine Gael's support for it.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The other parties are jumping on the bandwagon.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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It looks like the only munitions cluster that will be in Croke Park in the interim will be from Kerry.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The Ceann Comhairle will regret his confidence.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I ask the Ceann Comhairle to withdraw his provocative remark.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputies' team will be on strike.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Will the social housing (miscellaneous provisions) Bill be brought to the House before it rises for the summer?

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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When will the acute hospitals review be published? When will the eligibility for health and personal social services Bill be published? A publication date of 2009 is given. This acute hospitals review will have serious permutations in terms of the delivery of hospital services in places such as Mallow General Hospital. The Ceann Comhairle should know that we are awaiting this review because of its serious permutations for Mallow.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That may be so, but we cannot go into that now.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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On a procedural matter, if I raise it under Standing Order 32 it will not be taken and neither will it be taken if I seek to raise it on Adjournment. I am a Member for Cork East and I want to raise the issue of Mallow General Hospital, but I am being told I cannot do so. They are diminishing the services to the hospital by stealth as we speak.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy knows we cannot have speeches on the Order of Business.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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A review report is sitting in the national hospitals office of the Health Service Executive, of which we do not have sight. Before that report is even issued——-

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot go into that now.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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——they are diminishing the hospital services. The people of Mallow and its catchment area will be without a hospital before long and I do not have the wherewithal to raise the issue here.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will try to facilitate the Deputy in whatever way I can and I will communicate with him from my office.