Dáil debates

Tuesday, 6 November 2018

3:15 pm

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask Deputies to control themselves. I call Deputy Mattie McGrath to announce the Order of Business for the week ahead.

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Today's Government business shall be No. 17, motion re title of physical therapists, back from committee; No. 18, motion re EU agreement with Kazakhstan, back from committee; No. 1, Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018 [Seanad] - Second Stage; and No. 33, Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018 [Seanad] - Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 207, motion re water services, selected by the Rural Independent Group.

Wednesday's Government business shall be No. 34, Home Building Finance Ireland Bill 2018 - Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage; No. 2, Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2018, amendments from the Seanad; No. 35, Children’s Health Bill 2018 [Seanad]- Order for Report, and Report and Final Stages; No. 1, Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018 [Seanad]- Second Stage (resumed); and No. 33, Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018 [Seanad]- Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 208, motion re apprenticeships, selected by Fianna Fáil.

Thursday's Government business shall be No. 1, Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018 [Seanad]- Second Stage (resumed); No. 33, Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Bill 2018 [Seanad]- Second Stage (resumed); and No. 19, Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2018 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. Private Members' business shall be No. 19, motion re the report of the Joint Committee on Education and Skills, entitled Report on Positive Mental Health in Schools.

I refer Members to the second revised report of the Business Committee, dated 5 November 2018.

In relation to today's business, it is proposed that:

(1) No. 17 shall be taken without debate;

(2) No. 18 shall be brought to a conclusion after 45 minutes if not previously concluded. Speeches shall be confined to single round by a Minister or Minister of State and the main spokespersons for parties and groups, or a Member nominated in their stead, for a period not exceeding five minutes each, with a five-minute response from a Minister or Minister of State. All Members may share time.

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that there shall be no questions to the Taoiseach and the sos, in accordance with Standing Order 25(1), shall be taken at conclusion of Questions on Promised Legislation.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank Deputy McGrath. There are just two proposals to be put to the House today. Is the proposal for dealing with today's business agreed?

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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I propose that the Business Committee should be asked to reconvene sometime today or tomorrow to place on the agenda of this Dáil the scandal relating to schools and Western Building Systems, WBS. In my area there are still 1,200 children who are not in school today. They have missed a whole week apart from the mid-term break. We have a scandal that has not been answered in this Dáil. Yes, there is a committee hearing later today, but that is not a full Dáil discussion and this issue merits one, given that it concerns 42 schools, that Western Building Systems is now building hospitals and that the same company apparently has a tender for modular housing.

The question the Minister needs to answer is this. Why did he say he had no issues with the work on which he signed off with Western Building Systems on the 42 schools in question when no oversight was done by the Department?

3:25 pm

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot have a debate on the issue.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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All parties need a chance to get answers from the Minister and in respect of previous Governments.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Coppinger has made her point.

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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We debated the issue last week.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Kelleher on the Order of Business.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Deputy Farrell said we debated the issue last week. Given that the schools are still not open, this is an ongoing issue.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, please.

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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We debated it.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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It may not be important to Deputy Farrell but the fact that children were put in danger because of private profit is important.

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Coppinger was not here.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Private profits endanger children's lives. Deputy Farrell should stay quiet.

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Coppinger was not here.

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Deputy Farrell was on the council as well. What does he have to say?

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputies to desist, please.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I also object to the proposals in view of the fact that the House has been informed that there will not be an opportunity for all Deputies to contribute to the budgetary debate. The budget was announced on 9 October and we are in the first week of November. We have the Finance Bill, yet not all Deputies have had an opportunity to contribute on the budget. Historically and traditionally, every Deputy is given an opportunity to contribute to the budgetary debate. The debate has now been shelved. If we keep going like this, it is likely we will be speaking about the budget next year.

Photo of Kevin  MoranKevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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Would that not be great?

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I consider that to be an attack on the entitlement of Deputies to at least raise the importance of the budget in the Dáil. From that perspective, I cannot accept the proposal.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Kelleher's party Whip raised that matter at the Business Committee meeting and asked for a debate on the budget. That was not possible in the current week because of the business set out before us. However, it is my understanding that it is intended to return to the debate on the budget as soon as time allows.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, but-----

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Kelleher wants the debate this week.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not that I want a debate this week. I wanted it in the last couple of weeks.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot turn the clock back now.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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We need the budget debated in a timely manner. We could still be debating the budget when the Finance Bill has passed.

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Deputies Coppinger and Kelleher were both represented at the Business Committee meeting. If I remember correctly, the budget debate collapsed because of a lack of speakers.

Photo of Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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That is not true.

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The debate ended.

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's recollection is poor.

Photo of Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The debate on the Finance Bill fell.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Given the strength of feeling on these matters, we will convene a meeting of the Business Committee this afternoon at which we will seek to arrange for additional time to discuss the budget and the issue of schools.

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps that will be on Friday.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I hope and trust that Members will co-operate when we arrange times.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for accommodating us in this matter.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the business for today agreed to? Agreed. Is the business for Wednesday, as proposed, agreed to? Agreed.