Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is proposed to take No. 3, Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008 — Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 43, motion re the Irish economy (resumed) to be taken after the Order of Business and to conclude after 90 minutes, if not previously concluded.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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When will the briefing relating to pre-budget growth figures be given. The purpose of this briefing is that Opposition Members might gain an indication of what will underpin the budget to be introduced on 14 October. The Taoiseach stated yesterday that a briefing will be provided. When will this happen and what will be the extent of the information that will be given to Opposition Members?

Will the Minister for Transport come before the House today to reassure people regarding the safety of the Dublin Port tunnel? Deputy O'Dowd tabled a Private Notice Question on the matter yesterday——

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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It was disallowed but is under consideration for today.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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——but it was disallowed by the Office of the Ceann Comhairle on the basis that the National Roads Authority does not have direct responsibility in this area. It is a matter of public concern that a major report has indicated that the systems relating to the safety of the Dublin Port tunnel will not measure up in the event of something going wrong. It might be appropriate if the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, came before the House later to give a statement of reassurance in respect of the safety of the Dublin Port tunnel.

The Tánaiste has indicated that a second probe into what she terms "possible fraudulent activities within FÁS" is ongoing.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not wish to interrupt but the difficulty is that none of these matters is in order. I want to be helpful——

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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What does the Ceann Comhairle mean by stating that they are not in order?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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They are not in order on the Order of Business. If Members wish to change the rules, that is a matter for them.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Is the Ceann Comhairle stating it is not in order for me to ask a question in respect of the Taoiseach's indication that the Government will provide a briefing regarding the growth forecasts that will underpin the budget?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The full list of matters that can be raised is set out in Standing Orders but the issue to which the Deputy refers is not included. On a number of previous occasions I stated that the full list of matters which can be raised includes business on the Order Paper, the taking of business which has been promised and the making of primary and secondary legislation.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Ceann Comhairle is well aware that this will be a critical budget for the country and the Government.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not make the rules.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Members should be entitled to comment or ask questions on the utterances of the Taoiseach.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The problem may relate to the fact that Leaders Questions are not taken on Thursday mornings. However, that is a matter for Members. I can do nothing about it, I can only enforce the rules of the House.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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All I did was to ask the Tánaiste when the briefing will be provided and to what extent information will be provided to Members. I will ask a question that is in order but I hope the Minister for Transport will come before the House.

The programme for Government clearly indicates that a constitutional referendum on children's rights will be held. If absolute liability in cases of statutory rape is to be restored to the Statute Book, a constitutional referendum will be required. This matter is not mentioned in any of the legislative lists with which we have been provided. Do I take it that the referendum on children's rights will proceed and that legislation relating to this matter will be published or has the Government abandoned its solemn commitment to hold such a referendum? The Tánaiste will be aware of comments made by the Director of Public Prosecutions to the effect that cases cannot be taken in the absence of a constitutional referendum.

A solemn commitment was given in the programme for Government and this was repeated on many occasions by Deputy Bertie Ahern when he served as Taoiseach. Will the Tánaiste respond on behalf of the Government and clarify, once and for all, whether it is intended to honour the commitment to which I refer and whether legislation relating to a constitutional referendum on absolute liability in cases of statutory rape will be published?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is legislation promised or forthcoming in respect of a referendum on children's rights?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the committee charged with dealing with this matter met yesterday. We are trying to achieve a consensus. If such a consensus is forthcoming, further deliberations can be engaged in and decisions can be made. However, it would be appropriate to allow the committee to complete its deliberations. My party has submitted a detailed proposal on this matter and it is on the basis of this that we can await an outcome.

On the other issues to which the Deputy referred, the Taoiseach indicated that as much information as possible will be made available to the Opposition during the preparatory phase leading up to the budget. We anticipate that when the third quarter figures become available at the end of next week or at the beginning of the following week, information will be provided to Opposition Members.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Shatter submitted detailed proposals on behalf of the Fine Gael Party to the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children by the date requested. The Government is not going to make a submission to the committee. However, Fianna Fáil Members on the committee are to make a submission, not on behalf of their party but rather on their own behalf as a group. We need to know whether a referendum relating to this matter will take place. There appears to have been a complete rowing back by the committee on this issue, which is of such extreme and sensitive importance that the Director of Public Prosecutions was forced to comment upon it.

The Government is not making a submission and neither is the Fianna Fáil Party. My understanding is that the members of Fianna Fáil who are serving on the committee are going to make a submission on their own behalf. Will the Tánaiste clarify the position and indicate whether a referendum is to take place?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Strictly speaking, that is a matter for the committee.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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This is an extremely important issue and if we are to address it, the most appropriate and mature way of doing so would be through consensus. I believe that is the considered view of the majority of Members of the House.

I refer to the submissions. The committee agreed on the methodology by which people would put forward their views. The legal advisers would then assess that and a decision would be made in due course. As the Deputy knows, the Minister is also a member of that committee and he represents the Government.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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So does the Tánaiste but she will not answer the question.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I would like to pursue a little further the Tánaiste's reply about the information which will be made available to the Opposition and the House in advance of the budget. I ask her specifically about the statement made by the Minister for Finance last night that it is his wish to have a redundancy scheme across the public service. Is it intended to present a paper to the House setting out the areas, Departments and State agencies where the Government considers there are numbers or posts which are surplus to requirement?

In that regard, I draw the Tánaiste's attention to a reply to a parliamentary question she gave yesterday to my colleague, Deputy Joan Burton, which showed that in her Department, there are now 46 civil servants working in her private and constituency office and in the private and constituency offices of her Ministers of State.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Gilmore knows he cannot raise that.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There are 46 civil servants working in the private and constituency offices of the Tánaiste and her Ministers of State at a cost of €3 million per year. The Minister of State, Deputy John McGuinness——

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

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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——who describes civil servants as unfeathered, plump State hens, has ten civil servants——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is well aware that we cannot raise that matter now.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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——working in his private and constituency office.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call the Tánaiste on the availability of budget documentation.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ten civil servants makes the Minister of State, Deputy John McGuinness, a pretty plump State gander.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I hesitate to interrupt Deputy Gilmore in full oratorical flow but the facts of the matter are——

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The chickens are coming home to roost.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Whatever about ganders and geese, as I said yesterday, we cannot go into that now. I call the Tánaiste on the availability of the budget documentation.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I have another question.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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There is a process in respect of the budget which has been established for many years. The Minister for Finance indicated he would make as much information as possible available to Members of the House within the normal budgetary constraints.

On the last issue and the little quip, I work within the realms of the Department of Finance's regulations, as do all my colleagues.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Seymour Crawford.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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A Cheann Comhairle——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will Deputy Gilmore give me a break?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is only day two and I am only getting started.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is what worries me.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Yesterday, the Taoiseach told the House new legislation in regard to employment matters would be required arising from the agreement with the social partners. What legislation will the Tánaiste publish arising from that agreement and when will she do so?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy knows, we are currently dealing with a number of Bills, including the employment law compliance Bill, which is a huge piece of legislation, an industrial relations amendment Bill, an industrial development Bill and the Employment Agency Regulation Bill. One or two of those Bills will have to be amended to reflect the agreement. That will be on the basis that the agreement is accepted by all sides. We will have to consult the social partners on a number of other Bills. I anticipate another Bill on the basis of that. At present we do not have a final decision on the format of that legislation.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I wish to ask a very important question. When will the Bill on long-term subvention for nursing home care be before the House? When will it be implemented? When can we advise people that they will have some rights as far as nursing home subvention is concerned? The issue is causing very serious problems for the elderly and their families.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach answered the question yesterday.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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We did not get an answer.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The legalities have been addressed and we anticipate that the matter will be brought forward very quickly.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Has any work been done on the heads of the landlord and tenants Bill? If so, when is it anticipated? The date of its publication is very vague. Is it possible to indicate whether any work has been done on the heads of the Bill?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is not possible to say when it will be brought to finality. The Minister has indicated that there are 102 heads to the Bill, so it will take a considerable amount of work.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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My next question is close to the Ceann Comhairle's heart. I refer to the legislation to implement the Dalton report. I understand the heads of the Bill have been agreed and that drafting is taking place. How long will drafting take and how much of it has been done already?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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This is to amend the greyhound Act.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps the Ceann Comhairle could answer the question.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I know the Ceann Comhairle is anxious to hear the answer as well.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It will be available in the middle of next year. I wonder why I answer the questions in the first place when Deputy Durkan has the answers.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I was only checking.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Yesterday, the Minister for Health and Children announced the establishment of an inquiry into services and recent tragic consequences at Ennis General Hospital. Have the terms of reference of that inquiry been drawn up? Will they be presented in the House and will it have the opportunity to scrutinise them?

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The terms of reference are critical. An inquiry is being established and there is not only concern within the greater Ennis area but throughout the country.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is not in order now. The Deputy will have to find some other way to raise that matter.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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There is a fear that this inquiry could be used by the Department of Health and Children and the HSE——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy will have to find another way to raise that matter.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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——to facilitate a further loss of services at Ennis General Hospital——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Pat Rabbitte.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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——which would not be what the bereaved families or the wider populous would want.

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Will the terms of reference be brought before this House for scrutiny?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is not relevant now. I call Deputy Pat Rabbitte.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Ceann Comhairle allow the Tánaiste to answer?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is completely out of order. I call Deputy Rabbitte.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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It is not out of order.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are other ways to raise the matter.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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What will be out of order is if this opportunity is used to facilitate the pursuit of an agenda by the HSE and the Department.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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If I allowed every Deputy to stray beyond the parameters, we would not be able to get any business done. I call Deputy Rabbitte.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I believe this matter of sufficient import and relevance to this House.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will try to facilitate the Deputy if he wishes to raise it in another way.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The terms of reference have not been explained.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will try to facilitate the Deputy if he tries to raise it in another way.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I welcome the investigation initiated by the Tánaiste into management practices at FÁS. When does she anticipate that the report will be available? Will she intervene with the director of FÁS to put on a special FÁS course for the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, and his golf buddies on arithmetics so they will not be misled again or that the Government will not be caused such embarrassment again as has happened in the case of student fees?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As I indicated in the House yesterday, the Comptroller and Auditor General has been requested by me to investigate the matter. We will await the discussions and deliberations of the Committee of Public Accounts at which stage terms of reference will be finalised. I hope there will be a speedy examination of the investigation. The report will then be laid before the House and will come to me.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Can the Tánaiste do anything for Batt?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Before the summer recess, the Tánaiste was kind enough to say she was prioritising the issue of management companies. As she knows, tens of thousands of young people are paying very high management company fees. She said the legislation would involve three Departments. The Law Reform Commission has reported with its own draft Bill for owner managed companies. When can we expect this legislation? It is a considerable problem for the property market that so many young people are being charged these huge fees by developers and their agents. There is no regulation to protect people from being fleeced.

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

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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There was considerable discussion on that matter yesterday. The situation is that we have yet to make a final decision as to whether we will have an omnibus piece of legislation or make three or four amendments to existing legislation. The Attorney General will consider that in the context of the work we did during the summer, with a view to bringing it to Government very soon. We are anxious to get progress on the matter.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Does that mean no legislation has been prepared or that the law reform legislation has not even been looked at? The Law Reform Commission took two years to prepare the legislation.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The work has been done. It is now just a matter of deciding on the methodology of how the legislation will be brought to the House.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The previous Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform told the House on a number of occasions that although the legislation covers three Departments, he had taken responsibility for the matter and would bring the legislation before the House. Has that changed?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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No. It is important to get clarity on this for once and for all. It is under the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and there are three Ministers involved in the legislation. The quickest method of bringing the legislation to the House is the format we want to advance. A final decision must be made by the Attorney General and he must advise whether we should amalgamate and provide new legislation or whether it would be more expeditious to amend existing legislation. From what I can ascertain, the view is that, as there are three Departments involved, we must consider whether if we amend three pieces of legislation we will get the legislation through the House as quickly as if we had an omnibus piece of legislation. The final decision will be made on the basis of how quickly the legislation can be brought through the House.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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With due respect, the Minister's fast method sounds like a snail method. It sounds like they are still having discussion on it.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Burton has had her say. I call Deputy Stagg on the same issue.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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This has been going on for five years, since Deputies Burton, Rabbitte, myself and others first raised the issue. We have been getting a series of promises on legislation. The last solid promise we got was that the former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, would bring in legislation last March and it would be finalised. Questions were put on the matter before last Christmas and the promise was the legislation would be enacted by last March. Nothing has happened and we seem to be back further than we were at the beginning, with the Tánaiste saying the Attorney General has to make up his mind. Will the Tánaiste twist his tail or put a burr under it or something and make him make up his bloody mind? The people are suffering.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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That is the reason there are three Ministers working on the matter. They worked at it on a number of occasions during the summer holidays. The question is whether we want proper legislation brought to the House and that is the final decision to be made. The legislation will be enacted quickly. We had to await the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission and the heads of a Bill were prepared by the Department on that basis. The final decision will be made very soon.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Some €110 million was set aside last year to introduce the fair deal, but clearly the legislation in that regard will not be produced in advance of this year's budget and the money will remain unspent. Will the Tánaiste ensure that the upcoming budget will provide for that money to be released to health boards to alleviate the suffering of families and assist them with elderly people in nursing homes?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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As the Deputy knows, we cannot go into that now.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Ceann Comhairle knows as well as I do that €110 million was set aside for the fair deal. It is in an account somewhere and remains unused while people are suffering. People are put to the pin of their collar trying to keep elderly relatives in nursing homes, but the Government does nothing.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We know all that, but we cannot go into it now. I call the Tánaiste on the fair deal legislation.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The answer has not changed since I responded to the question five minutes ago.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Taxing Master of the High Court has drawn the attention of the House to the fact that many people are being ripped off in the legal fees they are being charged. A Government committee sat and reported on this, but we have not yet had any action on the matter. What priority does Government give to No. 74, the legal costs Bill? This is a matter that affects not only ordinary families, but our competitiveness as a country. At a time when we are considering what practical measures we may take in these difficult times, this Bill should be brought forward as a priority.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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That is due next year.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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That does not sound as if it is being given priority. Reports and recommendations have been provided.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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The Social Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill was on the B list for last year. Is that the same Bill as the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill currently going through the Seanad and will it deal with family break-up?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot go into the content of the legislation now.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Family break-up has become very prevalent and unless a family home is sold neither party will qualify for social housing. Will that issue be dealt with in the Bill?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot go into the content of the legislation.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Bill is in the Seanad currently. The Deputy's concern is important and I am sure it could be raised on the floor of the House. I will advise the Minister of the Deputy's views on the matter and, perhaps, the Deputy can follow it up with him.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Tánaiste. I also wish to raise the matter of the merchant shipping safety convention Bill which would provide the Minister with power to implement amendments to the safety of life at sea convention, SOLAS, which I believe would provide for the retention of Malin Head and Valentia coastguard stations. When can we expect that Bill?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am not in a position as to advise when that Bill will be brought forward.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Would amendments be included in that Bill to maintain the services at Valentia and Malin Head?

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

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is a good trier.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The pay deal is one of the most important issues agreed by Government in recent weeks and we will see debate among union and business representatives in the coming days.

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

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Will the Tánaiste make Government time available to present the pay deal in the House and for questions and debate on it? This important issue should be discussed. Will she make time available for it and would she agree it is appropriate that something of this importance should be discussed in our national Parliament?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is a matter for the Whips.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Is the Tánaiste aware today is a day of action by the Educate Together body. The body wrote to the Department of Education and Science six months ago asking the Minister to introduce legislation to register Educate Together as a patron for second level schools so that it can establish such schools. Deputy Quinn raised the matter of an existing school in north Dublin which has no patron and he wants a Bill introduced in that regard. What is the situation in the Department with regard to registering Educate Together as a patron for the provision of second level education?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Legislation has been promised and work is being done on the heads of the Bill. We expect to have the legislation before the House next year.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The Department should respond to the numerous letters it has received from Educate Together on the issue.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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The Government has signalled its intention to close down or amalgamate a variety of agencies in order to save money, but so far it has only targeted human rights organisations and Combat Poverty Agency.

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

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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It is. There is a Bill on the list entitled the National Council on ageing and Older People (abolition) Bill. It is clear that having targeted the marginalised and the poor, the Government is now targeting the elderly.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy knows that is not in order.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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The Bill is listed and I want to ask about it. I want to ask about the detail of it. It not only gets rid of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, but——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is long enough in the House to know we cannot go into the details.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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I want to ask because the Government is also going to subsume the National Cancer Screening Board into the HSE. Subsuming anything into the HSE gives rise to serious concerns for the future of the organisation subsumed. I had calls today about somebody who died 20 years ago who has been called for BreastCheck and have come across a number of similar situations. I have a serious concerns that similar incidents will arise.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot go into that now. We can only deal with the legislation. I am constrained by the parameters of Standing Orders.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Will the Tánaiste give us an undertaking that families will not be distressed in this manner in the future?

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

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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I also want to know whether this legislation is a precursor for others. Is other legislation like this planned?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy will have to leave it at that.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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On this legislation, it is 2009.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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My I clarify the matter further with the Tánaiste?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, I call Deputy Creighton.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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I ask for clarity regarding the proposal for a sub-committee of the Joint Committee on European Affairs to deal with the fall-out from the Lisbon referendum.

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

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach answered a question on this yesterday, which led to great confusion at the committee. We deserve clarity.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot discuss it.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Costello raised this issue yesterday and if the Taoiseach was able to answer yesterday, I do not see why the Tánaiste cannot clarify what he said.

I wish to raise a matter concerning ethics legislation and, specifically, a concern that has emerged regarding the fact that, as far as we know, one individual loaned a minimum of €200,000 to an organisation campaigning on the Lisbon referendum. I ask the Tánaiste whether legislation is to be introduced to prevent people from circumventing ethics legislation, as we have seen in the recent referendum, and to prevent that from happening in the future.

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

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Essentially, this amounts to one individual trying to buy public opinion.

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

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Legislation to address that issue has been promised. May I provide further clarity to a reply I gave to Deputy Costello on the issue of Educate Together?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Yes.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Educate Together is not part of the patronage legislation to which I referred. That concerns VECs. On the specific issue, I will ask the Minister concerned to revert to the Deputy. I am not familiar with all the idiosyncrasies of every item of legislation.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Can I get further clarity on that? Is the Tánaiste telling me there will be no registration of Educate Together whatsoever for the purpose of second level education?

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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A Cheann Comhairle——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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On the legislation——

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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There is no legislation that is specific to the question raised by Deputy Costello. I will ask the Minister to revert to the Deputy on his question.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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My question was that——

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It was about registration rather than legislation.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Educate Together contacted the Department of Education and Science some time ago regarding the introduction of legislation that would allow it to register. It has not received a reply from the Department and I want to know whether the Department has decided not to register the organisation. It is in limbo at present.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Tánaiste cannot go any further. I call Deputy Reilly on the same issue.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Educate Together celebrated its 30th anniversary last week. The President attended and she was very encouraging to the organisation. I want to address the same point raised by Deputy Costello. I am concerned there is no legislation among the Bills proposed by the Government which would allow Educate Together to become a patron of secondary schools. In the past 30 years, it has proven itself to be an excellent educator and I am deeply concerned at the Government's attitude. A Minister was present in Balbriggan this morning but would not sign a petition.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy must keep to the legislation.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Is the Government telling us that it will not make provision for a body of such excellence as Educate Together to become a patron?

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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The answer is "Yes".

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not know if we can discuss this further.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I can only answer the question on patronage under the VECs.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I can only allow the Tánaiste to answer that.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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These are multi-denominational, as a matter of interest.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Just say you do not have a notion.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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On the specific question that has been raised, there are methods by which a reply can be received but I will personally ask the Minister to revert to Deputy Costello with a precise answer on what he is prepared to do.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Creighton wished to speak again about the matter she raised.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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I wish to receive an answer from the Tánaiste on the matter.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I said that legislation is planned.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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If it cannot be communicated to us now, perhaps she will communicate with the Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Affairs.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The difficulty is that the Tánaiste has to stay in order as much as everybody else.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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We cannot have chatter.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Publication of the foreshore amendment Bill is not expected until 2009. This morning, the EPA expressed serious concern about achieving our renewable energy targets of 20% or 30% by 2020. These have not even been agreed yet. This issue has been identified as a problem by every member of the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security. It is outdated.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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On the legislation.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Three or four Departments are involved. Will the Tánaiste confirm that responsibility for the foreshore will be moved to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government under this Bill?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, that is the intention of the legislation.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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How soon will it be introduced? It is listed for 2009.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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That is what the legislation will do but it has not been finalised.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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This morning, the Government is launching a report on the hunger task force, in New York strangely enough. Is there any chance that we will be given time next week to discuss that report in the Dáil?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot address that now. It is a matter for the Whips.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I ask about the horrific news that we are failing once again to meet our targets for CO2 emissions and the huge bill which will concern the Minister for Finance and which is building up as a result of having to purchase credits. Where is the legislation to introduce an obligation on the Government to meet the targets it set for itself?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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No legislation is required because we have signed up to the protocol.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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There should be because we are not going anywhere and it is costing the taxpayer a fortune.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Every other country has targets.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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We have targets to achieve. What has happened is disappointing——

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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It will cost us a fortune.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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——but no legislation is needed.