Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is proposed to take No. 18, Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012 - Report Stage (resumed); and No.19, Credit Union Bill 2012 - Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. and shall adjourn not later than 10 p.m.; the resumed Report and Final Stages of No. 18 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Finance. Private Members’ business shall be No. 73, motion re education funding.

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. agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 18 agreed to? Agreed.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the Government's initiative for a fundamental review of hospital services in the south-east region and in particular to review the status of Waterford Regional Hospital with a view to downgrading it from category four to category three. Will the Taoiseach allow time for a debate on that issue? Government Deputies are due to meet the Secretary General of the Department of Health. Deputies on all sides of the House would welcome the opportunity to have a debate on that specific issue and on the general review.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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And on the Cork situation.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Do not forget Loughlinstown.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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These matters are relevant to the country as a whole because there would be increased demand on other regions such as Dublin, Cork and elsewhere. I do not think it is a tenable or sustainable proposition but it is a large-scale proposal. A meeting was held in the audiovisual room this morning with a group from Waterford who came to lobby Deputies. Given that many thousands of people marched, I think we should have a debate. I ask the Taoiseach if he could arrange a debate in Government time-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am sorry, Deputy, I wish to advise the House that the Deputies for Waterford have been granted a Topical Issue debate on that matter.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is broader than that. The Taoiseach should allocate Government time to allow a debate.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Perhaps the Whips could discuss it.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Does Deputy Martin not want to see enhanced services in Cork?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please, we must return to the Order of Business.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We have them and they are in huge demand. People are under time and access pressure. They have a lot to cope with.

I ask the Taoiseach when is the health (amendment) (No. 2) Bill due before the House.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It will be introduced next year. The decision on the matter of hospital groups will be taken by the Government in the next couple of weeks and there will be an opportunity for a full debate in the House. Some of what I have heard around the country about this issue has been nothing short of outrageous misinformation-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The Taoiseach should talk to his own backbenchers.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It would be appropriate in the interests of the people that we should base our discussions and our arguments on the facts. As Deputy Martin is aware, medical politics are far more Machiavellian than political politics. We should have a rational discussion-----

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----in the House-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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This matter is totally out of order on the Order of Business.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----in a couple of weeks time when the decision is made. For the information of the House, the Government today considered the health strategy from now to 2015. I expect the Minister for Health and the Ministers of State will deal with that matter on Thursday. The discussion and debate on the decisions made in respect of hospital groups will be held probably in three weeks time.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I repeat that the Deputies for Waterford have been granted permission to raise a Topical Issue matter on the potential impact on Waterford Regional Hospital of the proposed reconfiguration of hospital services.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur faoi reachtaíocht atá fógartha. I ask the Taoiseach for an update on a different aspect of the health (amendment) (No. 2) Bill, which is free GP services. If I understood his reply correctly he stated the Bill would be published next year. In the meantime will the Government provide free GP care for claimants under the long-term illness scheme before the end of the year? What is the reason for the delay in bringing forward this legislation?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The GP service legislation will be published this session. Deputy Martin's question was about the health (amendment) (No. 2) Bill which will be published next year.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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When does the Taoiseach expect the Bill on the regulation of lobbying to be before the House? I also wish to ask a question about the format of the budget statement. Is it intended to have two budget statements this year? Will the Minister responsible for the Bill on the regulation of lobbying, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, make a statement on the Tuesday? While I am on my feet, I wish to congratulate the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, for the successful passage of the amendment of the Constitution.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Broughan for his co-operation in this matter. There is no date as yet for the publication of the Bill on the regulation of lobbying. No decision has been taken as yet on the format of the budget; it will be announced in advance.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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I refer to the Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill. Will the Taoiseach support the request by the family of the late Fr. Niall Molloy, in particular by his nephew, Bill Maher, for a commission of investigation into the murder of his uncle?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is not in order on the Order of Business.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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The family is very concerned that major corruption-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please recognise the Chair, Deputy. You are out of order.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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I am asking with reference to the Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should ask about the legislation.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The heads of the Bill were approved in June. It has been sent to the committee for further consideration but has not yet been returned to the Government.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on the successful passing of the referendum. I ask the Taoiseach about the progress on the child and family support agency Bill which will establish the agency for the delivery of child welfare and protection services. It is imperative that the agency is established and that funding is available from the HSE.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Heydon for his comment and support for the referendum.

The heads of the child and family support agency Bill were cleared by the Government last week. I expect it will be published before Christmas and we will proceed to implementing it as quickly as possible thereafter.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Like Deputy Heydon, I welcome the result of the referendum at the weekend. I believed it was envisaged that the agency would be up and running from the beginning of January. Does the relevant legislation, the heads of which will not be published until the period before Christmas, not need to be enacted to have it up and running in January? Will the Government continue to prioritise this?

The heads of the Children First Bill have been published for six or seven months. When will this legislation come before the Oireachtas? Bearing in mind the passage of the referendum, when does the Taoiseach hope to bring legislation on adoption and the best interests and voice of the child before the Oireachtas?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The adoption Bill was published in tandem with the referendum Bill. It is a case of finding time in the calendar year to debate it. The Children First Bill will be taken very early in the new year. The Attorney General and her staff are working exceptionally hard on the child and family support agency Bill and we expect to process it very quickly. Obviously, we have set out a timeline for this and I hope we can adhere to it.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Government and our diplomats on the successful election of Ireland to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Children's rights obviously comprise an important part of human rights. In this regard, I congratulate the Minister for Children, Deputy Fitzgerald, and all those involved in the "Yes" campaign, including the NGOs, on the successful passage of the referendum. Another aspect of human rights, however, concerns how our State and legal system interact with vulnerable people; I refer to the mental capacity legislation. I hope that on foot of our successful election to the United Nations Human Rights Council, this will be speeded up. Can the Taoiseach state when he expects the legislation to be published and debated in the House?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I know Deputy Harris has a particular interest in this matter. I thank him for his support for the referendum. The legislation is complex. It is listed to be published this session but I am not actually sure whether this can be achieved. It has proven to be complex; suffice it to say that there is a great deal of work being done thereon. I cannot give the Deputy absolute confirmation that the legislation will be ready in this session.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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When will the civil partnership Bill be before the House?

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

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That legislation is already in operation, as the Deputy will be aware.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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With regard to promised legislation, could the Taoiseach indicate the progress to date in bringing before the House the legislation to provide for an all-Ireland gas market, particularly in the context of North-South co-operation? Have the heads of the Bill been discussed by the Cabinet? When is it expected to bring the legislation before the House?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The heads have not come to the Cabinet yet. Clearly, moving towards a European grid is a matter of considerable importance. The Deputy will be aware of the recent opening of the interconnector at Batterstown. This is a matter that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has very much in hand. It will be next year before the Bill is published.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Some 7,000 commonages will be adversely affected by changes to maximum and minimum stocking rates under the animal health and welfare legislation. This is causing great upset and worry among the farming community. What is proposed will adversely affect the welfare of animals because in some instances farmers are being told to put an unrealistic number of stock up on the hills, while in others the prescribed densities for hills are too low.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is in the Dáil.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Bill has been to the Seanad and is awaiting Committee Stage in this House.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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That does not answer my question.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In fairness, it is well down the conveyor belt.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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It is important.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Will a debate be allowed with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Children on the misleading information that was given out during the referendum campaign? The Supreme Court-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Not on the Order of Business. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I refer to the Bill. Misleading information was given out by the Government. We have an independent commission and it should be allowed-----

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

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The Ceann Comhairle did not allow a Topical Issue debate or a private notice question. Therefore, I ask-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Deputy, please, resume his seat?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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-----whether we are to have a debate.

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

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Are we going to have a debate?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Deputy, please, resume his seat?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I will, but the Ceann Comhairle should note I asked him for a Topical Issue debate.

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

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Ask Noel Davern.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The Ceann Comhairle is not being fair.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is not relevant to the Order of Business.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Deputy Kehoe should ask Michael Fingleton about his house loan.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Ask Noel Davern.