Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose a slight amendment to the Order of Business to enable Members to make statements on the issue of public sector allowances before taking the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill. As the Minister is coming into the House for the debate on that Bill anyway, I suggest Members could eat into some of the time allocated to it by debating the issue of public sector allowances. Massive confusion surrounds that issue and such confusion deserves to be clarified and removed from the system.

I also wonder whether the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill is to be withdrawn from the schedule because I understand that some representative bodies are meeting officials today to raise with the Minister the most serious issues regarding that Bill's constitutionality. The representatives in question have met quite a number of Oireachtas Members. However, I understand the Department is meeting these people today and is taking seriously their concerns. On that basis, might it be necessary for the Acting Leader to withdraw the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill this morning? Perhaps he should consult the Minister.

What is happening in respect of allowances? There is confusion everywhere again, including about the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill and the allowances. A letter has been leaked by the Department of Health to health service workers to the effect that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, is looking for their heads in respect of allowances. This has neatly diverted the flak from health to public expenditure as far as the day's news cycle is concerned and I wonder whether that was the deliberate intent, as it certainly has been the effect. Who are being targeted in respect of these allowances? Those targeted are teachers, nurses, gardaí and soldiers. These are the people who Deputy Howlin and the Labour Party-Fine Gael Government have decided to target first for cuts, namely, the people on whom we depend in our daily lives, those front-line workers who provide the front-line services about which the Government talks so much and yet does so little. The Government has targeted them as they are the easy targets.

Another common thread running through the leaked list of allowances pertains to the Irish language. Any allowances related to the Gaeltacht or to Irish appear to be under attack by the Government. This is a retrograde step because it takes some effort and additional skills for someone to go to a Gaeltacht or to be able to speak Irish and communicate with people in the constitutional language of their choice, as is their entitlement. However, the Government is targeting this among the aforementioned nurses, gardaí, soldiers and teachers. Many teachers in Gaeltacht areas or gaelscoileanna will receive quite a fright on reading the newspapers this morning. This was an outrageous way to leak this information. It is only right, fair and proper that Members have a debate in this House on this issue. This is my proposal in respect of the Order of Business.

I ask for the Acting Leader to allocate time to facilitate a debate on the issue of pyrite. This matter has been discussed in the House on numerous occasions and time must be set aside for it. Fianna Fáil certainly would like to use its Private Members' time, if available, but there would be no harm in the Government setting aside some time to debate this issue. Members were given many promises but I note people are really upset and worried. They do not know what is going on in Meath, Kildare, Offaly and Dublin and they seek answers.

We gave the Government time and I specifically told the Minister last March that I would not put him under political pressure if I felt he was genuine in resolving that issue. However, the longer this issue goes on, the more cynical the public becomes that nothing will be done. I urge the acting Leader to set aside time to debate that issue and also to set aside time today to debate allowances.