Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is proposed to take No. 3, Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013 - Second Stage (resumed).

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Short and sweet.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are no proposals to be put to the House. I call Deputy Calleary.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Is that Dáil reform? I refer to the consumer and competition Bill which has been listed for some time. There is a complex disagreement in Government between the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, about who "owns" the Bill.

The Minister, Deputy Bruton, seems to have won that argument and I know that Fine Gael seem very concerned about media mergers for some reason. When will the Bill be published? Why has the Cabinet decided that media mergers, given the importance of the issue, are not being dealt with through separate legislation, as opposed to being tagged on to the consumer and competition Bill?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Bill will be published this session.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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So the argument was lost.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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In respect of the Government's proposals for Dáil reform and longer sitting days, what consultation has taken place with staff of the Oireachtas, if any? My second question is about the briefing to which Deputy Daly referred from the ESB group of unions. Is access to the audio-visual room to be shut down and taken from Deputies?

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

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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This is the Minister who is all about political reform and transparency.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The audio-visual room has got nothing to do with the Order of Business.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I find it astonishing that the Administration at any level would prevent representatives from a semi-State company coming in and setting out their stall on an issue of importance. If the Minister could clarify that for us, that would be great.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will not be clarifying anything about the audio-visual room on the Order of Business. It is as simple as that.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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To answer the question on Dáil reform, it is important that we arrive at a consensus as much as possible within the elected membership, and then the reforms and how they impact on the staff and the running of the House will obviously require negotiation subsequently.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Did the Minister meet anyone? He did not meet anyone. That is his answer.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Is there any progress on the customs Bill? Will it give greater power to the Customs and Excise to combat fuel laundering and cigarette smuggling? This is becoming epidemic and it is costing millions to the State and jobs to those who are paying their taxes and who are complying. The Bill will make the Minister's job a lot easier when he is drawing up budgets.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Customs legislation will not be introduced until next year, but the issue of fuel laundering has been tackled already by the Minister for Finance, and he had something to say about it in last year's budget. I think he will have something further to say about it this year.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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A Bill is due before the House to provide for a new tenant purchase scheme for local authorities and for the repossession of local authority dwellings, as well as a new scheme of housing assistance payments. When is this housing (miscellaneous provisions) Bill due before the House? Section 62 of that Bill is very important for local authorities.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Taoiseach answered that question yesterday. It will be next year.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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Is it the Government's intention to introduce regulations penalising schools which do not allow parents purchase generic uniforms where they can iron the crest of the school onto the uniform itself? What is the timing for the introduction of such regulations? Under which Bill will the regulations be introduced?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I have no knowledge at all of that matter, but I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills to respond.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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When is the strategic investment fund to be put on a statutory footing? I think it comes under the NTMA (amendment) Bill. That initiative was first announced two years ago.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Minister for Finance has indicated that it is hoped the legislation will be introduced this year, but if the overarching NTMA legislation is not available, we will advance that element of it separately in order that we can have access to funding for the stimulus packages we have announced and further packages.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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In his reply to an earlier question, the Minister said that the people of Ireland were hurting. I want to raise an issue under the finance (no.2) Bill. It is about a family in County Cork.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will not be raising that in here.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I have the sheriff's notice here that threatens to evict the family.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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This cannot be raised on the Order of Business.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Under the conveyancing Act of 2009, the sheriff's powers were abandoned. I have the sheriff's eviction notice here in my hand. If that is the hurt the Labour Party feels, it is very sad.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call on Deputy Healy Rae.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I want to ask-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are not doing this on the Order of Business.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It is on the Order of Business. The conveyancing Act of 2009 dismissed the power of the sheriff. How is the new sheriff in Cork - a newly appointed lady sheriff - intimidating families like this?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Raise this under Topical Issues. This is not on the Order of Business.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It is. I have the sheriff's notice here.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not care what you have. Please resume your seat.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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These people are hurting from the powers allowed by this Government. The Labour Party-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please do not abuse the right that people have on the Order of Business.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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This is an appalling situation.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sit down and find some other way to raise the issue. I call on Deputy Healy-Rae.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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There is chaos in our motor tax offices at the moment because of the changeover on 1 October for retrospective taxing of motor vehicles and machinery.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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What Bill are you talking about?

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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I am talking about the road traffic (no. 3) Bill and I have already asked that this deadline be extended to 31 October. It would make an awful difference.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Table a parliamentary question.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The road traffic (no. 3) Bill will be next year.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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When will the criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill be brought forward? It is very important that this be done in order that we can provide for the post-release electronic tagging of sex offenders. It is much anticipated by people in this country.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That Bill is expected in the first half of next year.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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When is the pyrite levy Bill due to be published?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is a priority for the Government and the Taoiseach has indicated that it will be introduced this session.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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What is the current position on the Bill to provide free GP services? Have the heads of the Bill been agreed and is it ready for presentation? The lack of a legal aid Bill is causing some problems at the moment. Have the heads of that Bill been approved by the Government? When will the Bill come before the House? Is its urgency recognised? Finally, the EU directive on cybercrime has yet to be incorporated into Irish law. When will that happen?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The health Bill will be introduced this session. We expect it to come before a Cabinet sub-committee within the next fortnight. Heads of the legal aid Bill have been approved by the Cabinet, but the Bill will not be published until next year. I have no date for the cybercrime Bill yet.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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When can we expect to see the water services Bill? Legislation is proposed to deal with the Central Bank, including the financial regulator. That is being put forward as a consolidating measure. Will the legislation contain any substantive measures to ensure the regulator will deal properly with any complaints of malfeasance by bankers?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The water services Bill will be before the House in this session. The Central Bank Bill is not expected until next year, but since it is in gestation, perhaps suggestions the Deputy or the finance committee would like to make might be incorporated in the Bill.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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So it will not just be a consolidating Bill.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am not sure, but I am sure the Minister for Finance will have regard to any submissions the Deputy would like to make to the Bill.

Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Is there legislation promised to address the serious issue of bonding of horses? This is a matter of considerable importance and is costing local authorities vast sums of money.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 was enacted last year and it deals with that issue.

Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour)
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The final chapter of the Mahon report was published during the summer recess. Is it proposed to bring that matter before the House for discussion?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I will ask the Government Whip to find out and he will refer directly to the Deputy.

Ray Butler (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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When is publication of the family law Bill expected, which will make provision for pension adjustments in the context of separation agreements and certain reforms in family law?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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There is a huge list of Bills in the justice area.

I do not have a date for that, but I suspect it will be next year.