Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is proposed to take No. 25, National Lottery Bill 2012 - Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 90, motion re promissory notes.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is a concern that the country's best performing and most strategically important hospitals are being hit with massive budget cuts. St. James's Hospital is to face the biggest cut of €9 million and it is hard to understand how it will cope with the pressures given the case mix of that hospital. The allocation appears to be more about getting rid of the deficits of existing hospitals. Where does the community budget within the HSE lie? Sums of €5 million are being taken from Temple Street and Crumlin children's hospitals as well. The health (amendment) Bill is due but it must broaden its compass in terms of eligibility and community issues.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot discuss the contents of a Bill.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Where do we stand with the Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill and the health (amendment) Bill, particularly in terms of the hospitals that will now be cut so dramatically?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill is on Second Stage and the health (amendment) Bill will be taken this session. For the first time, budget allocations for hospitals are based on projected spend rather than on historic budgets, which caused a lot of difficulties in the past. One Bill is on Second Stage and the other is expected this session.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Taoiseach publish the criteria by which those allocations are made?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This can be discussed in some detail on Committee Stage. There was a complete change in the way budgets were allocated. Previously it was done by historic spend and now it will be done on projected spend for the future.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It was not done on historical spend, it was done on case mix.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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They were historic budgets asking how much the hospital spent the year before.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It was based on case mix.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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We spoke about the Magdalen laundries report earlier today. Can the Taoiseach set out the precise arrangements he envisages for the debate?

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

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach referred to a debate in two weeks time so could he shed some on light on that?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The arrangements are a matter for the Whips.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I have raised the consolidation and reform of domestic violence legislation several times with the Taoiseach and his colleagues. In 2011, four out of five victims of domestic violence were turned away from crisis refuges because the refuges were full. Can the Taoiseach tell us when the legislation might come forward?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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On the Magdalen report, once again I think Senator McAleese for his report, which is 1,000 pages long and very comprehensive. I think of the 10,000 residents. They know their stories, they have told their stories and their stories have been believed. Many of them lived with an undeserved stigma that was of great disservice to the experience of these women. That stigma has been removed by the report, which was long overdue. As I said to all of those women, I am sorry the State did not act sooner and that this investigation could have been carried out many years ago. I regret in particular that many who suffered have not lived to see this day, when such a report is published, removing that stigma and letting the true facts finally emerge. As the report is comprehensive and contains much new information, I expect we can discuss with the Whips on how long should be allocated to the topic and what date in two weeks it should take place. It is a comprehensive report that deserves deep reflection and consideration. We will see it gets that.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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What about legislation on domestic violence?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Department wrote to the Deputy on 5 December that it would be progressed as soon as possible, taking into account consultation and the need to dispose of a number of urgent Bills in the Department, including the EU-IMF programme of financial support for the State. Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, is in discussions with the Department's civil law reform division. I will send the Deputy an update on those discussions.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The Taoiseach is aware of the growing concern, criticism and outright outrage about the plans to dispose of the harvesting rights for Coillte. Is the forestry Bill going to deal with this issue? I understand negotiations are ongoing on the disposal of these harvesting rights.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We can only deal with when the legislation is coming before the House.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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There are serious questions about value for money for the State. Is the Bill going to deal with this or will the Taoiseach allow for statements in the House on the plans surrounding the disposal of Coillte's harvesting rights?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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When is the forestry Bill due?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Bill is nearing completion and will be published shortly. The sale of timber has been decided by Government in respect of the sale of State assets to be considered by Government at the appropriate time. Of course there will be opportunities for statements and discussions about that in the House.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Do not do it.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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We only grow the trees to sell them.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Do not do it.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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We do not grow them for decoration. They are harvested.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Tell that to IMPACT.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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When is the legislation to reform or change the county and city enterprise boards due before the House?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Is the Deputy talking about the local enterprise offices?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Yes.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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There was a report on that issue today from the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Bill will be in the House during this session.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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In view of further revelations at the weekend about contacts between the Minister for Health and his colleague Ministers-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please do not go there again.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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We must go there. We only get this information from the media.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy must ask about promised legislation.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The promised legislation is the health information Bill. Will we have transparency, openness and honesty when dealing with population numbers?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy can have a long conversation when the Bill is published.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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He will not get it in this House.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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He will not get it.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The health information Bill is due later this year.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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What progress has been made with the minerals development Bill to modernise and consolidate all minerals development legislation? Has the Taoiseach any plans to introduce in a criminal justice Bill an independent police authority to remove Government interference and the current Minister's interference in the day-to-day running of An Garda Síochána?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is there promised legislation on an independent police authority?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The day-to-day running of An Garda Síochána is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and is not interfered with in any way. There were some who said we should have driving permits for people who are over the limit but that is another matter. The minerals development Bill is complex but it is due later in the session.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In the context of the finance Bill and the changes announced in eligibility for the farm assist scheme, does the Minister for Finance intend to re-examine these measures? If they go ahead as planned, they will have implications for those working in the rural social schemes, with many people losing their jobs. There are 18,200 in receipt of farm assist in Mayo.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That matter can be raised by the Deputy when the finance Bill is published. It is due next week.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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In view of the ever-increasing numbers on local authority housing lists, what is the situation with the housing Bill? Have the heads of the Bill been approved and when is it likely to come before the House?

The Central Bank (consolidation) Bill has been on the list of promised legislation for some time. I presume the heads of the Bill have been discussed and approved by Cabinet so when will it come before the House?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The heads of the housing Bill are at an advanced stage and will come before the Government soon. It is a little while away but there has been a lot of work done to finalise it.

The Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill is currently on Second Stage and must be completed before there can be a consolidation Bill for the Central Bank.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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I want to ask the Taoiseach for clarification on promised legislation. Have the heads of the Bill to provide for a levy for the repair of homes damaged by pyrite been agreed by Cabinet and when can we expect publication?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The heads have not yet been cleared but I expect that they will shortly come before Government for clearance. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, had been intensively involved on this and I expect results in the near future.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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Would the Taoiseach expect its publication this session?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It will be published as soon as it is cleared by Government. It will then be discussed here. As Deputy Shortall will be aware, it is an issue that affects many.