It is proposed to take business in the following order: Item No. 11 by agreement and Item No. 13. Within Item 13 the following estimates will be taken today and the debate will be concluded at the times specified. Vote 38, Vote 38 Supplementary Estimate, Vote 39 to be concluded by 1 p.m. Vote 28, Vote 28 Supplementary Estimate to be concluded by 4 p.m.

Could I ask the Taoiseach if in view of the reports of the general medical services payment board issued yesterday, the Government intend bringing forward any legislation or if the Minister intends making any orders in relation to the content of those reports? If not, will he arrange for those people to be the subject of an inquiry by the Committee on Public Accounts?

That does not arise on the Order of Business.

I asked the Minister if he intends introducing legislation——

There is no legislation promised on that. Only when it is promised can the Deputy raise it on the Order of Business.

I was not aware of that. I asked the Taoiseach if in view of the serious allegations contained in the report the Government intend introducing legislation or an order and, if not, if he would refer the matter to the Committee on Public Accounts. Time and time again the same thing has arisen in the House and it has been permitted.

The Deputy can put down a question about it.

In view of the urgency of the situation, will the legislation be brought before the House?

There are other ways in which to raise this matter.

(Waterford): When do the Government intend to lay before the House the economic plan which they said would be ready three months after they came into office? Will it be ready before the recess?

On a point of order, could the Taoiseach——

That is not a point of order. The Chair must be asked a point of order.

Could the Chair inform me of the difference between my question and the one the last speaker asked and why the Taoiseach will be permitted to reply to the latter?

This was promised and yours was not.

It is not mentioned on the Order of Business before the House.

Anything that has been promised can be raised. If there was a statement from the Government that this matter would be investigated that would be different.

May I mention all the promises made recently? Some people are allowed to raise items and other people are not.

The Deputy knows that he is not correct.

The Taoiseach will reply to Deputies up there who represent a small minority of the people in the country but he will not answer those on this side of the House. He is hiding behind the Chair.

I keep my eye on you, and allow you to ask many questions.

I do not think that is the reason why the Ceann Comhairle keeps his eye on us.

(Waterford): Will the Taoiseach reply?

I assume the question is in order?

Yes.

I should not like Deputy Mitchell to think I was being disorderly. The position about the plan is that it is well advanced. A great deal of work has gone into it. We have had many consultations with economic agencies and institutions. I cannot undertake to say that it will be presented before the recess. I have already indicated that we hope to have the fullest possible public debate and discussion on the plan when it is produced.

(Waterford): Arising from the Taoiseach's reply, although the plan may not be before us before the recess surely it is at an advanced stage of planning now and taking final shape? Will it spell out details for the development of each region or will it be just vague generalisations and aspirations?

The Deputy cannot go into detail about it.

It will be as concrete and specific as possible.

(Waterford): Arising from that——

If the Chair allows a contribution from one Deputy on the plan we would also like to contribute.

We cannot have a discussion on it nor can there be a number of supplementaries asked about it.

(Waterford): My supplementary arises from the Taoiseach's reply.

We might try that.

On a point of order——

Deputy Gallagher can only ask when the plan will be available. He cannot go into the details of the content.

(Waterford): May I ask one final question?

This is not Question Time.

(Waterford): I accept that, but arising out of the aspects of the plan and considering that I wish to establish——

That does not arise until the plan is published. I am sorry. I cannot allow the Deputy to pursue it.

(Waterford): I should like to ask one final question. Will the Taoiseach spell out if the proposed plan has any details for job creation in the Waterford City area?

We cannot go into the plan.

(Waterford): There are over 4,000 people unemployed in my constituency. This is the highest ratio of unemployment——

The Deputy had a chance to do something about that last night.

The Deputy cannot raise this matter now. He can put down a question about it.

(Waterford): It is relevant to the context of——

The Deputy can only ask when the plan will be available. Other than that, he cannot raise the plan at present.

(Waterford): It will not be available before the recess.

Yes.

(Waterford): We can assume from the Taoiseach's answer that there is no response to the unemployment problem in my constituency.

On a point of order——

The Deputy should have asked these questions at 8.30 p.m. yesterday.

On a point of order——

Deputy Gallagher, please resume your seat.

We agreed to a tight schedule for debate this morning. Deputy Gallagher is eating into the very limited time for our Deputies to contribute on the agriculture estimate. He had plenty of time to make these points on the Adjournment debate and did not do so.

(Waterford): On Government business yesterday there was a whole day wasted by the Opposition——

Is there anything in the plan to deal with the unemployment situation in Kilkenny?

We cannot go into the content of the plan.