Dáil debates
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Order of Business
4:00 pm
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It it proposed to take No. 14, Statements on pre-European Council Meeting on 28 June and No. 1, Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012 [Seanad] - Second Stage. It is proposed notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders that (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn on the conclusion of the opening speeches of No. 1; (2) No. 14 shall be taken immediately following the Order of Business and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 65 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) an opening statement shall be made by the Taoiseach and by the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group, who shall be called upon in that order and who may share time and shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (ii) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply, which shall not exceed five minutes and the order shall resume thereafter with Topical Issues. Private Members' business shall be No. 56, motion on arts and the culture sector.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are two proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. tonight agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 14, statements on pre-European Council meeting on 28 June agreed? Agreed.
I call Deputy Martin on the Order of Business.
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps the Taoiseach will clarify a number of points for the House in regard to the timetable for the personal insolvency Bill, in respect of which I am aware there was a press conference earlier. Perhaps, given the gravity of the situation, with more than 10% of people now in arrears of more than 90 days, the Taoiseach will tell us what the Government signed off on today and will set out a timetable in terms of publication of that Bill and its consideration by the Houses of the Oireachtas, in respect of which I am unclear. I understand that a further press conference is planned for Friday next to announce something else. The language being used earlier was that the Government had signed off on something around personal insolvency legislation.
Given the absolute need for a sense of direction in regard to our health services and the remarks by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, on the need for immediate action and for Minister for Health to personally engage-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is a separate issue.
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----when will the health governance Bill be published and considered by the Houses of the Oireachtas?
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy caught me out on that one.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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That does not happen too often.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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On the health governance Bill, on which a great deal of work has been done, while I expect it will be published towards the end of this session I cannot confirm that because there are a range of troublesome issues which need to be sorted out.
On the personal insolvency Bill, the press conference today was merely to inform the people and media that the Government has approved the personal insolvency Bill. I set out at that briefing a schedule of what will happen. As stated by the Deputy, it is not a matter of ticking only one box. This is a radical departure from anything that has been done before in terms of personal insolvency and the mortgage situation. The Ministers for Justice and Equality and Finance and Minister of State with responsibility for housing will publish the Bill on Friday and will engage in a questions and answers session with interested parties. They will also give a presentation on the complex detail of what is involved. With the agreement of the Whips, I expect the Bill will be brought before the House as early as possible. We may have to adjust our timetable and to sit later to get through Second Stage, to which I am sure everyone will want to contribute. However, we can discuss that matter later in a rational fashion.
I do not expect that the Bill will be implemented until at least the start of the next session. It will not be possible to complete Second Stage quickly given the need to take all Members' views into account. I believe the best we can hope for, in terms of enactment of that legislation, is October. However, much depends on the reaction of Members following publication of the Bill. In addition, establishment of the personal insolvency advisory service will require the deployment and training of personnel from Departments to deal with the issues involved. We will also have to develop a website for the personal insolvency and mortgage advisory service, which will be operated through the Money Advice and Budgeting Service and the Minister for Social Protection, which cannot be done until the detail of what the banks are offering in terms of options and alternatives and full detail of the Bill have been explained to the people.
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach stated that a presentation on the Bill will be made on Friday to the media. Surely, that presentation should be made to the Oireachtas first.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It will be brought before the House next Tuesday.
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Surely the Taoiseach can have it circulated to Members of the respective committee and spokespersons on finance during the next three days.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I think people will want to reflect on it over the weekend. There is enormous interest in this legislation. I do not want people going off on tangents, assuming something is in it that is not.
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The only people likely to do that are Ministers. The Taoiseach should circulate it to Members of the House.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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No. That is why there will be a full presentation in the Government press office on Friday from the three Ministers involved. I expect to bring it here next week when we will begin Second Stage. I assure Deputy Martin it has taken an enormous amount of activity to get it to this point.
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Again the House is the last to know.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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No, the House is not the last to know.
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government promised change.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This is the publication of the Bill. Deputy Martin will have his chance next week to speak in the House on it. If we have to sit late during this month and next to get as much of the Bill through as we can we will do so, and we will need Deputy Martin's assistance in this.
Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I agree with Deputy Martin that it should come to the House. I have read of many issues in the media before we have dealt with them in the House. Perhaps the Taoiseach should invite all of the Deputies to the press briefing. It might be another way to do it. Tá mé buíoch den Taoiseach as an bhfreagra a thug sé ar an HSE governance Bill. Beidh a lán oibre le déanamh againn idir seo agus sos an tsamhraidh.
Tá ceist amháin eile agam faoi reachtaíocht atá forógraithe. I understand from what the Taoiseach said in the briefing that the constitutional convention to meet in September requires legislation to allow the electoral register to be used to select the citizens who will participate. Is it envisaged that this will be done prior to the recess?
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Yes. The amendment to the Electoral Act is short and will allow for the legal official use of the register of electors. The amendment was approved at Cabinet this morning and I expect to bring it before the House next week or the week after. This matter will be concluded prior to the House rising for the summer.
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to raise the issue of the customers of Ulster Bank who have been affected for the past week by the IT failure. The timeline for the resolution of these issues keeps shifting and the matter is having serious implications for the more than 100,000 customers of the bank and perhaps of other banks.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is not really in order.
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I tried unsuccessfully to raise it as a Topical Issue today.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I think it is worth trying again tomorrow.
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I certainly will. The Economic Management Council will meet the banks tonight. Will Ulster Bank be represented at this meeting and if so will this issue be raised?
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is out of order on the Order of Business.
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will certainly submit the issue again tomorrow.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Central Bank has responded with regard to its monitoring of the situation in Ulster Bank. As Deputy Michael McGrath is well aware, this has been enormously stressful for people who either have not received their salaries or have been unable to meet their commitments. I am aware of the shifting sands with regard to rectifying the matter completely. I am not aware of what the actual problem was. We will of course raise this matter with the representatives from Ulster Bank this evening. I hope the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, contacted the chief executive last Friday and obtained assurances from Ulster Bank that it is taking every measure possible to minimise the impact on its customers. Deputy Michael McGrath is aware of the number of branches which opened for long periods at the weekend to allow this to happen. People are also experiencing delays in social welfare and other payments. I hope the matter is resolved as quickly as possible.
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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With regard to the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act, is the Taoiseach aware that on 24 October, when Saorview will take over from the analogue system, in areas such as Lauragh, Bonane and Dromlivane more than 500 people will have no television service?
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is this in the legislation?
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Yes, it is. The Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act contains a guarantee of service to people living in these areas.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Thank you, we cannot deal with the content of the legislation.
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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The Taoiseach is very aware of these areas as he will be cycling around them very soon.
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will not be able to see him.
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To say something positive, I wish to thank the Taoiseach and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to the fishery harbour centres rates and charges order 2012 for taking on board the representations I and others made on behalf of boatmen from Dingle who take people out to see Fungi. To be fair, the Government took on board the concerns of the boatmen and acted accordingly and I welcome this.
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It was Deputy Brendan Griffin who did this.
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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He knows about it now.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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A Fungi-ised response and I am glad the Deputy recognises it. With regard to the change-over to digital there have always been complications in a small number of areas throughout the country and special arrangements will have to be put in place so residents in these areas will be able to watch their favourite television channels and programmes. Such issues have arisen on a number of occasions over the past 25 or 30 years. There are still some areas where there are great technical difficulties in receiving programmes. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is very conscious of this and special arrangements will have to be put in place.
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The issue I wish to raise is similar to the previous one. With regard to telecommunications legislation, mobile phone companies are being asked to buy out the rights to deliver services. Will they be compelled under a public service obligation to ensure service levels are kept at least where they are at present and ensure all areas of rural Ireland have a mobile service? It could be very detrimental to people if they do not have this public service.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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What legislation is the Deputy inquiring about?
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I am sure there is telecommunications legislation. I am inquiring about a very serious issue.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is there any promised legislation?
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I am probably winging it, but it is a very serious issue for rural Ireland.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I think you are winging it alright. I suggest a parliamentary question.
Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Is there any prospect of the criminal justice (corruption) Bill 2012 coming before the House before the recess?
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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No, I do not think so to be honest. The heads of the criminal justice (corruption) Bill were cleared last week and it has a distance to travel yet. It certainly will not be before the end of the session.
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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What is the anticipated passage of the national vetting bureau Bill and when will it be signed into law? I also wish to ask about the criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill, which might go some way towards encouraging a debate the result of which might be to focus on the ability of ordinary law-abiding citizens to go about their business without fear of attack.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill will be later this year. I expect the Bill in respect of vetting will be published prior to the end of the session but it will be the next session before it is enacted.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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In light of the plight of some Irish holidaymakers overseas who find themselves without access to cash or credit as a result of the Ulster Bank debacle, has the Government issued any directions to the consular services throughout the world and has it provided appropriate financial assistance to families who find themselves in exceptional hardship as a result of this inability to access cash?
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not think it is in order on the Order of Business.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I think it is, particularly under the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill which is due before the House.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That will be a bit late for it.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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There might be capacity to provide-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The people will be back from their holidays when that Bill comes before the House.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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They may be, but a number of families are in a very difficult situation as a result of not being able to access cash.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Do not dig the hole deeper.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Has the Government been in contact with the consular service?
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Taoiseach has said he will raise the matter this evening.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Are funds being made available to people?
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Taoiseach to take note of this.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Griffin and I hope he will not speak about Fungi. We have already discussed him once.
Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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It is a fishy story. I thank the Taoiseach for the progress made on the personal insolvency legislation which is very important-----
Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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-----and I welcome the fact that we will prioritise its passage by sitting later if necessary.
As the Ceann Comhairle mentioned it, I was delighted to get the good news for the people of Dingle last Friday. Deputy Healy Rae probably became aware of it this week. The people of Dingle are very grateful for the good news with regard to the fishery harbour centres rates and charges order 2012.