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Dáil

Order of Business.

John Lynch The Taoiseach Fianna Fáil

It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 6 (resumed), 7 and 8 (resumed).

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Will the House have an opportunity of discussing the results of the Minister for Finance's discussions in Bonn?

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John Lynch The Taoiseach Fianna Fáil

No.

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Does the Taoiseach think it wise that the Minister for Finance should pin so much hope——

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John Lynch The Taoiseach Fianna Fáil

Is this on the Order of Business? Is it in order at this stage?

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It is very important.

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John Lynch The Taoiseach Fianna Fáil

I know it is important, but the Deputy had a chance to discuss it a few weeks ago and he barely arrived in time——

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I am asking the Taoiseach if he thinks it wise that the Minister for Finance should pin so much hope on a discussion with civil servants——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

Order Deputy Fitzpatrick wishes to raise a matter.

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This House should take every opportunity to discuss this situation and the Taoiseach should not run away from such a discussion.

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John Lynch The Taoiseach Fianna Fáil

On the contrary, we are the only Parliament to have debated this matter and we will probably be the only Parliament to have debated it twice.

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There is no reason why we should not debate it again and again.

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John P. Wilson Minister for Education (Mr. Wilson) Fianna Fáil

There is no reason why a European campaign should be carried on outside the House.

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We are discussing every phase of this area——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

Order, please. Would Deputy O'Leary please resume his seat?

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The only place Fianna Fáil wish to discuss the country's affairs is at cumann meetings, but it is time the Dáil had a chance to discuss these matters.

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Thomas J. Fitzpatrick Mr. T.J. Fitzpatrick Fine Gael

(Cavan-Monaghan): On the Order of Business, might I ask the Taoiseach if there is any member of his Cabinet who has overall responsibility for water supply, main road works, employment schemes and refuse collections? I ask this because I have been endeavouring to raise this matter in the House for some time.

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Deputy may not raise the matter now.

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Thomas J. Fitzpatrick Mr. T.J. Fitzpatrick Fine Gael

(Cavan-Monaghan): This is a legitimate question. I am asking the Taoiseach if there is any member of his Cabinet who has overall responsibility——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Deputy has asked this question every day.

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Thomas J. Fitzpatrick Mr. T.J. Fitzpatrick Fine Gael

(Cavan-Monaghan): I am asking the Taoiseach which member of his Cabinet has overall responsibility——

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John Lynch The Taoiseach Fianna Fáil

There are procedures for answers to such questions.

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Thomas J. Fitzpatrick Mr. T.J. Fitzpatrick Fine Gael

(Cavan-Monaghan): I can now add traffic lights to that list because I believe they too have gone out of order.

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

In case this practice develops, I want to tell the House that the only questions that can be asked are those on the Order Paper.

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The traffic lights are burning red for this Government——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

Order, please.

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Thomas J. Fitzpatrick Mr. T.J. Fitzpatrick Fine Gael

(Cavan-Monaghan): May I take it that nobody in the Government has responsibility for or is interested in these matters?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

We will proceed with the business of the House.

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With your permission, Sir, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the consultations, if any, between the Minister for Education and the Higher Education Authority concerning the third level status request for the Dún Laoghaire School of Art.

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

I will communicate with the Deputy.

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Jim Mitchell Mr. Mitchell Fine Gael

Will the House have an opportunity in the near future to discuss the chronic industrial relations' situation?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

Deputies may not continuously ask questions of this type on the Order of Business.

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Jim Mitchell Mr. Mitchell Fine Gael

On the Order of Business, will we have an opportunity in the next week or two to debate the industrial relations' situation?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

That is not a matter for the Chair, and the question is not in order.

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In relation to item No.6, will Deputies be allowed to make contributions? At what stage is the debate?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Minister will be replying.

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We were given to understand that because of some confusion that had arisen——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Chair will deal with that matter when we reach it.

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Would it not be better if it were clarified on the Order of Business?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

When we come to item No. 6 I will be calling on the Minister.

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There was a great deal of confusion——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Chair is aware of that.

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——and the Minister gave the Deputy to understand that——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

Whatever may have occurred, the Chair will call on the Minister to reply.

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The Minister's reply consisted of the words "a Leas-Cheann Comhairle."

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Patrick J. Lalor Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Mr. P. Lalor) Fianna Fáil

How does the Deputy know? He was not here.

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The Minister hardly gave any indication to the House of what he was about to say.

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The matter will be coming up in a few minutes. At this stage we will not discuss it.

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This is a matter that should be clarified because it is not fair to expect Deputies to wait until the Minister gets on his feet——

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Chair will clarify it now as best I can.

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A simple word from the Minister now would clarify the matter.

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Chair will speak. The Chair is responsible for order in the House. There was some question as to whether Deputy Blaney was entitled to speak today. That point was not clarified and he was told that the Chair will be ruling on that. Since then the Deputy has conveyed to the Chair that he will not be contributing.

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Is the Chair aware that there were other Deputies who intended speaking?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

There may have been.

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They did not offer on the assumption that Deputy Blaney would be speaking.

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Minister will be concluding. I understand he was already called the last day by the Leas-Cheann Comhairle——

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I understand he had not started to reply when Deputy Blaney offered. There were other Deputies here who were anxious to contribute but they did not offer because they understood Deputy Blaney would be speaking.

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They were not here.

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Jim Mitchell Mr. Mitchell Fine Gael

I did not get a reply from the Taoiseach. Will the House be given an opportunity next week to discuss the industrial relations situation?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Deputy might consult with his Whip.

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Jim Mitchell Mr. Mitchell Fine Gael

Will we have a chance to discuss it as a matter of urgency?

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

I am calling Deputy Keating.

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I wish to give notice of my intention to raise on the adjournment, with your permission, Sir, the sinking of the oil tanker Christos Bitas and the Government's involvement in it.

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Joseph Brennan An Ceann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

I will communicate with the Deputy.

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