Dáil debates

Wednesday, 6 April 2011

10:30 am

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is proposed to take No. 5a, motion re the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr; No. 10, statements on bank reorganisation; and No. 8, Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010 [Seanad] - Second Stage (resumed). It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders that: (1) No. 5a shall be decided without debate; and (2) the following arrangements shall apply in relation to No. 10: (i) the statement of a Minister or Minister of State and the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group who shall be called upon in that order shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case; (ii) the statement of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case; (iii) Members may share time; and (iv) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed ten minutes. Private Members' business is No. 20, motion re referendum on the bank bailout and EU-IMF arrangement (resumed), to conclude at 8.30 p.m., if not previously concluded.

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are two proposals to put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 5a agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 10 agreed?

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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It is not agreed in one respect. A question and answer session during which the Minister would be accountable to the House was mooted last week in respect of this subject. Serious issues arise regarding the bank reorganisation and the sustainability of the debts being undertaken and Deputies need to tease out the implications with the Minister. A pre-announcement briefing was not provided for Opposition parties about the implications of the announcement.

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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A guillotine will not apply to the statements. The provisions made are that if they conclude before 7 p.m., a Minister will respond at that point and if they do not conclude before 7 p.m., it is intended they will resume at a point which can be agreed with the Whips.

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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There will, therefore, be a question and answer session.

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is a matter for the Whips.

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Yes, the matter can be agreed between the Whips.

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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On promised legislation, a review of joint labour committees and employment regulation orders is under way. I note the legislative programme does not make provision for an industrial relations (amendment) Bill to make any changes arising from the review. Is it intended to include such changes in a finance (No. 2) Bill or will the Government introduce an industrial relations (amendment) Bill?

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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That matter has not yet been decided. A decision will be made when the review is complete.

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Feicim nach bhfuil reifreann ar chearta an linbh fiú luaite sa mhéid atá curtha i gcló ag an Rialtas. Cén fáth nach bhfuil? Cén uair atá sé i gceist ag an Rialtas Bille maidir leis an Seanad a thabhairt os comhair an Tí?

The legislative programme does not make reference to a Bill to facilitate a referendum on children's rights or legislation for the reform or, as the Government would have it, abolition of the Seanad. These are two extraordinary omissions. Not only is this legislation missing from the A list, it does not feature anywhere in the legislative programme. Despite the Labour Party and Fine Gael, including the Minister for Children, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, backing the wording for a referendum on children's rights, as initially envisaged by the relevant Oireachtas committee, the Government appears to have rowed back from its position. It has indicated it will consider all proposals regarding the wording of the referendum, including the watered-down version produced by the previous Administration. Will the Tánaiste explain the reason two Bills on referendums do not feature in the legislative programme? I hope he will be able to assure the House that this is an omission and that the relevant Bills will be included in the programme. Will he make a statement on the envisaged wording for the referendum on the rights of children? I hope the Minister for Children will return to this matter sooner rather than later.

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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De ghnáth, ní bhíonn moltaí i dtaobh reifrinn ar leasuithe bunreachtúla foilsithe sa ghnáth-chlár reachtaíochta a leagtar amach ag tús na Dála. Mar is eol don Teachta, tá sé ar intinn againn reifrinn a eagrú i dtaobh cearta an linbh agus i dtaobh an Seanaid. Tá moltaí maidir leis na reifrinn sin idir lámha ag an Rialtas faoi láthair.

Proposals for referendums and amendments to the Constitution are generally not included in the legislative programme published at the beginning of a Dáil session. These matters are being considered separately by the Government. I referred, in response to Deputy Lenihan, to the Government's intentions regarding the Seanad. It intends to proceed with a referendum on the rights of children. The issue is being considered by the Minister for Children. As the Deputy is aware, issues have arisen in this regard and different forms of wording have been circulated. These matters are being examined and addressed by the Minister for Children. The Government intends to proceed with a referendum on children's rights.

11:00 am

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Last week the Minister for Education and Skills commented on proposed changes to the third level grants scheme. He indicated there was a bias towards the self-employed in the agricultural community who were able to manipulate their income in a manner which enabled them or their children to avail of education grants.

I first want to ask if the Tánaiste supports those comments. If so, what legislation does the Government propose to bring forward to treat the self-employed in the agricultural community differently from everybody else in terms of how their incomes are recorded and taxed? I thought his comments were somewhat unfair to the agricultural community and, indeed, to the self-employed.

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is this about promised legislation?

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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It might be appropriate for him to clarify that at a later stage, perhaps in some other forum. In my view, his comments demonised a sector of society which comprises decent, hard-working people. They employ many people and pay their taxes like anybody else.

Photo of Colm KeaveneyColm Keaveney (Galway East, Labour)
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The Deputy supported reducing the minimum wage.

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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That sounds like the makings of a good question to the Minister for Education and Skills. I would encourage Deputy Dooley to pursue that with him.

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste is sitting beside the Minister for Education and Skills, so why does he not ask him?

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There is no legislative proposal to address that issue.

Photo of Joe HigginsJoe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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To facilitate the business of the House, there is a simultaneous translation facility from Irish into English, when Members speak in Irish. I notice that many benches do not have headphones. I do not think many Members are aware of that translation facility. I am sure that not every Member is fluent in Irish, so this possibility could be availed of. I would like to speak more Irish in this Dáil, as I am sure others would, but it is off-putting if not everyone can understand what is being said. Attention should be drawn to the availability of a simultaneous translation service.

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am sure that Deputies can see those headphones underneath their desks. I will ensure that everybody has a set of headphones, if they do not already.

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Something arose in the course of the Tánaiste's replies that I wished to probe further.

Photo of Seán BarrettSeán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Does it concern promised legislation?

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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On promised legislation, the Tánaiste indicated that it was not normal practice to include proposals to change the Constitution in the programme for Government. However, the Government has undertaken to establish a constitutional convention. Does this require legislation and, if not, will there be all-party consultations about the composition of this convention?

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It has not yet been determined whether it requires legislation. There will be all-party consultation about the way in which the constitutional convention will be established.