Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is proposed to take No. 12, Supplementary Estimates for Public Services [Votes 12, 20, 22, 31 and 32] - back from committee; No. 13, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the draft scheme entitled Credit Institutions (Eligible Liabilities Guarantee) (Amendment) Scheme 2012; No. 21, Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2012 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 2 - Civil Defence Bill 2012 [Seanad] - Second Stage.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 12 shall be decided without debate; Votes 12, 20, 22, 31 and 32 shall be moved together and decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith; and the proceedings in relation to No. 13 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 65 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply: the speeches 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, and who may share their time, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; and a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed five minutes.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. 12 without debate agreed to?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is not agreed. I object to this matter going through without debate. The Supplementary Estimate seeks an additional €35 million for the payment of Civil Service pensions. I recognise that the vast bulk of civil servants are in receipt of very modest pensions, with €30,000 being the norm, but the Government has categorically failed-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry; we cannot debate the issue.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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-----to deal with the excessive pension pots of a minority. It is unacceptable to look for €25 million in additional resources one week before another vicious budget when the Government will not deal with the issue of runaway pensions and pension pots.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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I am not opposing the Order of Business on this matter but I would like an assurance from the Tánaiste that the House will get an opportunity to discuss it.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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These Estimates were discussed at committee and there will be an opportunity after the budget is announced for a debate in the House.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. 13, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the draft scheme entitled Credit Institutions (Eligible Liabilities Guarantee) (Amendment) Scheme 2012 agreed to? Agreed.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has a number of items of legislation on the Government's legislative programme. Is there anything in those pieces of legislation that will be used to reduce commercial rates? These rates are crippling small businesses, particularly retail businesses, throughout the country. Also, is there legislation on the way that will allow the Government to revisit the issue of upward only rents or is that issue finally dead in the water?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We can only debate matters relating to promised legislation.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The issue of commercial rates is a matter for local authorities and they have discretion as to what they do in that regard. With regard to upward only rents, the Minister for Finance informed the House of the Government's position on this issue in the last budget.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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So it is dead in the water and there is no progress on it.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I have two questions. The first relates to the taxi regulation Bill. The Tánaiste will be aware of the pressure taxi drivers across the State are under. The deregulation of the industry some years ago was a disaster. When can we expect that Bill? Second, the ombudsman has found, once again, that the Department of Health and Children is operating a scheme in breach of the Equal Status Act, namely, the motorised transport grant. Previously we learned of a similar breach in respect of the mobility allowance. Has the Government sought legal advice on this matter and how does it explain this ongoing breach? Will the Minister for Health and Children present himself to the Dáil to make a statement on this matter?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is not a matter for the Order of Business. Perhaps the Whips could agree something with regard to that second issue.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The taxi regulation Bill is being prepared by the Minister of State, Deputy Alan Kelly. The text of the Bill was approved by Government this week and it is hoped to publish the Bill this session. On the second matter, we have a parliamentary question procedure in the House and I am sure the Minister for Health and Children would be happy to answer a question on that matter if the Deputy cared to submit it.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Does the Tánaiste have a view on it?

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The issue of crime continues to be a major issue, particularly in respect of crimes committed by people-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thought it had gone away for a while.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry for the interruption.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Some things remain constant. The issue of crime committed by those on bail continues to be a concern. Can the Tánaiste indicate when the bail Bill is likely to come before the House? Have the heads been discussed in Cabinet and what progress will be made on the Bill over the next few months?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy got there eventually.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There are 40 heads to the bail Bill, which will consolidate and amend the bail laws. The draft heads are at an advanced stage, but I am not in a position to indicate a time for publication.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I have questions regarding three pieces of promised legislation from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. What is the position regarding the proposal for primary legislation to deal with the amalgamation of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency? What is the position on the promised legislation to rationalise the industrial relations employee rights institutions, the Labour Court, the Labour Relations Commission, the National Employment Rights Authority, the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Equality Tribunal? Also, what is the position with regard to the promised legislation relating to the review of city and county enterprise boards?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The heads of the consumer and competition Bill have been approved and it is expected it will be published this session. With regard to industrial relations, the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012 was enacted on 24 July this year. The heads of the Bill on the dissolution of the county enterprise boards were approved by the Government about one week ago and the Bill is expected to be published in 2013.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I think the Tánaiste made a mistake with regard to the second item of legislation when he spoke about legislation published in July. I have a note from his colleague, Deputy Howlin, by way of response to a parliamentary question, in which he said that significant progress had been made to date on the new two-tier general scheme Bill approved by Government. I think the Tánaiste may have been referring to some other legislation.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I apologise, but I picked the question up wrongly. The legislation in question is the workplace relations Bill, which will provide for reform of statutory workplace relations bodies. The heads of that Bill were approved by Government on 20 July and publication of the Bill is expected early in 2013.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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In January, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government gave the House an undertaking that he would do two things with regard to the climate change Bill. He committed to bringing the heads of the Bill to the joint committee and to publishing the Bill before the end of the year, but neither action appears to have happened. What is the position on this Bill? I would also like to raise a matter I have raised previously, namely, the Antarctic treaty. In excess of 40 countries have signed this important international treaty. The Tánaiste indicated in correspondence some time ago that this matter was being dealt with by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Will he update us on the current position?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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With regard to the climate Bill, a policy analysis being conducted by the NESC is still under way and it is expected the Bill will be published next year. I will revert to the Deputy on the Antarctic Bill.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Yesterday, the Taoiseach would not give the Dáil information I sought on the timetabling of the property tax legislation. According to Standing Orders, we are entitled to get that information. I got significant information in a morning newspaper that was leaked from Cabinet yesterday, which answered questions to which we could not get an answer here yesterday. Leaving aside the new vicious austerity being applied in the form of a property tax, which will be resisted and boycotted-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should put his question without adding to it.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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When will the stand alone property tax legislation be published and when will Second Stage be taken in the Dáil?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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After the budget.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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After the budget could mean any time between now and next July. Can the Tánaiste be precise? Will Second Stage be before Christmas?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot have a debate on this. The Deputy has got a reply, after the budget.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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We must await the announcement of the Minister for Finance. Whatever legislative measures are required to give effect to his announcements will then be a matter for consideration by the Dáil, after the budget.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Tánaiste is no doubt aware that our anti-corruption laws relating to public life are now over 120 years out of date, which has resulted in terrible costs for our country. The Government has published the Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill 2012 in draft form and this has gone to public consultation through the relevant committee.

Will the Tánaiste give an indication as to when it will be brought before the House?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The heads of the Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill to consolidate and reform all of the legislation cited as the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2010 in a single statute were approved by the Government on 19 June and have been referred to the joint committee for discussion and consideration.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I think the Deputy is asking when the Bill is likely to be brought before the House?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I do not have a date. Obviously, the joint committee will have to consider it first and then it will be brought before the House. After the committee has considered the issue, the Minister for Justice and Equality will consider whatever observations and recommendations are made by it.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the Cabinet made a decision during the week to separate Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority. Does the Tánaiste expect that legislation will be required to give effect to that decision and, if so, when can we expect to see it before the House?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Has legislation been promised in this regard?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Cabinet has discussed proposals to combine the Shannon Airport Authority and Shannon Development. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport will announce plans for Shannon Airport and Shannon Development in the coming days. The issue of legislation is one that may arise at some point afterwards.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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The Tánaiste is aware of the importance of the retention of Aer Arann flights to the Aran islands. In the interests of the health and safety of those living on and visiting the islands, will he ensure, in the same way that the Transport (Córas Iompair Éireann and Subsidiary Companies Borrowings) Bill provided for an increase in the borrowing limit for CIE, some provision is made to ensure the service will be retained?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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When is this legislation due?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There is no legislation.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There is no promised legislation.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has been dealing with the matter. Both the Minister and the Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht have recently met local representatives to discuss it.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Given the plight of self-employed owner-drivers of lorries in the construction sector who have little work, when will the legislation be amended to allow them to pay as they go for tax purposes----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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About what Bill are we talking?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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-----in respect of the non-use of motor vehicles, rather than paying huge amounts in tax for a full week when they might work for only one hour?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is there promised legislation on the non-use of motor vehicles?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The non-use of motor vehicles Bill seeks to amend motor tax legislation to provide for new arrangements for making declarations that vehicles are off the road. The heads of the Bill were approved by the Government on 22 May and it is expected that the legislation will be published this session.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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There was much discussion recently about the Construction Contracts Bill, known as the sub-contractors Bill. What progress has been made and when will it be brought before the House?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It will be brought before the House next year.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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There is urgency attached to the legislation.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is expected early next year.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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On promised legislation, there is much concern among vintners and publicans about alcohol pricing, a matter which has been discussed in the House previously. When is it expected that legislation will be brought before the House?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The legislation is being worked on by the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, and the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, and is expected to be brought before the House early next year.