Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is proposed to take No. 12, motion re membership of committees; No. 16, statements on the pre-European Council meetings of 18 and 19 October 2012; and No. 4, Education and Training Boards Bill 2012 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 12 shall be decided without debate; and No. 16 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: the statements 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 their time and shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case, and 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. 64, motion re home help cuts.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are two proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 12 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 16 agreed to? Agreed.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Taoiseach state the number of commitments that have been followed through in legislation, particularly in respect of the overhaul of TLAC? Is it the case that the chairman and majority of members are drawn from outside the public sector? If not, when will this occur? Shall all appointments at principal officer level and above be open to external competition, and at least one third-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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To what legislation is the Deputy referring?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is No. 1, regarding the public sector reform commitments. It was committed that at least one third of such appointments would be reserved for candidates from outside traditional Civil Service structures for a five-year period. Has this been honoured? If not, what is the timeframe?

Can the Taoiseach indicate when legislation to introduce social impact bonds will be brought before the House? The legislation is promised.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform met members of TLAC yesterday. He reviewed the first year of its operation, the impact of the lay majority thereon and the consequences of having an external majority. I suppose the results will be published in due course.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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They are quite happy to go to a committee-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Perhaps we could discuss this in another way rather than on the Order of Business.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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What is the position on social impact bonds?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I will have to come back to the Deputy on that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is a clear commitment in the programme for Government. Your lack of knowledge of the programme for Government is startling. It is a clear commitment.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I know it is in the programme for Government but I will have to come back to the Deputy on the timing.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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You did not know about it.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I know well about it.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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You had no notion.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Would the Deputies mind having conversations through the Chair?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Tá ceist agam faoi reachtaíocht atá fógraithe, the local government reform bill. The Government committed to reorganising local governance structures to allow the further devolution of decision making to local people. As I understand it, there was an announcement today on the abolition of town councils. There is real hunger for more democracy but there is considerable fear that this is just about costs. Could the Taoiseach tell us when the local government reform Bill will be published and brought before the Dáil?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Today's announcement refers to what is probably the biggest shake-up of local governance since the foundation of the State.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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It is an attack on local democracy.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The details are already published.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Has Deputy Healy-Rae read it?

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform would, of course, agree with it.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This will be carried through to effect for the 2014 elections. This will mean a number of Bills will have to be brought before the House by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. This will happen as soon as possible. The information is now available to the Deputy in detailed form.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Gerrymandering in Dublin.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Bring back James Tully.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The proposal is to reduce the overall number of councillors, councils and regional authorities, saving €45 million.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It will not save anything.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It will give greater cohesion and clarity to elected councillors-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Perhaps we will circulate the statement.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will have ample opportunity to debate his area here.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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The Government is shooting a lot of its own lads in the back.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It looks after Labour in Dublin.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputy does not mind-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is the biggest gerrymander I have seen in a long time.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Adams was asking a question.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The question, which the Taoiseach studiously avoided, was when the legislation will be brought forward.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Have we any idea?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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As I said, there are three or four Bills involved. They must all be implemented before 2014. It will probably be next year before the bulk of these Bills appear. It will be important for the Deputy and his colleagues to read the documentation and figure out what it means for them.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Given the considerable fear and anxiety among many over the prospect of the knife of austerity being stuck further in-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Hold on, we have been through austerity for the past hour. Could the Deputy mention the legislation?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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A debate has been promised. When will the Government allow the pre-budgetary debate on the economy that the Opposition asked for?

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Next week.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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How will the debate be arranged?

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

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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May I suggest-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy may not make a suggestion.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I have not finished.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy has finished as far as I am concerned because he is not dealing with promised legislation.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The debate is next week. It will be set out by the Minister for Finance according to the normal routine dictating speaking time. Deputy Boyd Barrett will have his say.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Boyd Barrett has had a good go. There are many Deputies who want to contribute.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I have not finished.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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On what? What does the Deputy want to know now?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I want to ask about the precise recourse available to a Deputy when another Member of the House has factually misled the House and impugned the character of that Deputy.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to resume his seat. I call Deputy Broughan.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Will the Taoiseach apologise for it?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I can provide him with evidence of the factual misleading of the House and the defamation of the character of a Deputy.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Deputy Boyd Barrett's dirty little trick backfired on him.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It was not a dirty little trick.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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On the promised local government Bills, there will be grave disappointment in the four Dublin county council areas and the Dublin region generally-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Perhaps the Deputy could express his views when the legislation is before the House.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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I am expressing them now to the Taoiseach. We are not getting a real mayor for this city. People were looking forward to some autonomy.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy knows he is out of order.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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I am slightly out of order but the people are looking forward to some autonomy. One or two people in my party will be very disappointed with the decision, if what I have outlined is the decision.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to please resume his seat.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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I am thankful that time has been kindly allowed for a Topical Issue debate on Priory Hall. However, some 1,000 people are asking me to give the Taoiseach a message. They have had sympathy and now want some action. They want to know when they will receive Mr. Justice Finnegan's report. People are in dire straits.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is being dealt with by way of a Topical Issue debate.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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The Taoiseach knows what I am implying.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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People have been protesting regularly outside the Dáil, including today, because a major contract-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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What is the legislation?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I refer to the Construction Contracts Bill. A company in Kilkenny, which was involved in a major project for a school, has disappeared, leaving high and dry hundreds of employees-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Hold on, will the Deputy sit down, please?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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-----and dozens of subcontractors.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Could the Deputy not try to be in order just once?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It is in order. I refer to the subcontractors Bill, which has been promised for so long.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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For what reason is the Deputy talking about protests outside the Dáil?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The protestors were there because dozens of subcontractors have been left high and dry. When will the Bill be before the House?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Construction Contracts Bill is awaiting Committee Stage at the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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When will we see it?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Second Stage has already been passed.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The Government messed up the whole thing.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government should make the amendments and get it sorted.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy McGrath should not be trying to make a farce out of this process every single day.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I am not.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy knew the Bill is on Committee Stage. It is not a matter for the Order of Business.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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For what is it a matter?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask Deputy Healy-Rae to be in order.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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I am in order. With regard to the forthcoming constitutional convention, as outlined in the programme for Government, is there a proposal to reduce the voting age to 16 or 17?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should table a parliamentary question.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That is the first matter to be considered.

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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With regard to a matter that is to arise in the Children Court-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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No.

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Is the Taoiseach proposing to change the Children Act?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is there promised legislation?

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Will he amend section 267?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is there promised legislation?

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I hope there will be.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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A programme has been circulated to the Members. Is there promised legislation?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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No.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Regarding promised legislation, the dissolution of the county and city enterprise boards, CEBs, has been discussed for a long time. When will the Bill to overhaul the system and bring it under the remit of local government be introduced in the Dáil?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It should not be in the Dáil.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I wish to make an inquiry about a second Bill, namely, the noise nuisance Bill.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It does not include mobile telephones in the Chamber, by the way.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It should.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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There is an amendment for the Government.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Bill needs to be introduced soon.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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There was noise in Kilkenny after the match.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Bill that Deputy Bannon referred to relates to local government reform and the local enterprise boards. That will be next year. I referred last week to the fact that the noise Bill is still a way in the distance. We do not have it within hearing range at the moment.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the €2.6 billion bill for pension tax relief, which predominantly benefits the better off. What about restricting this tax relief to people with incomes below €80,000, as promised in the programme for Government?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is a matter for the budget.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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It has been promised. When can we expect legislation?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I imagine it will be in the Finance Bill.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That is a matter for the budget and the finance Bill that will follow.