It is proposed to take Nos. 3, 4 and 11. Private Members' Business shall be No. 73. By agreement and notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders the following arrangements shall apply today:

(1) Items 3 and 4 shall be taken together for the purpose of debate. The proceedings on these items shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 7 p.m. and the Minister for the Public Service shall be called on to conclude not later than 6.50 p.m.

(2) The proceedings on the Second Stage of the Registration of Potato Growers and Potato Packers Bill, 1984, shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 10.30 p.m. and the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture shall be called on to conclude not later than 10.20 p.m.

Also by agreement the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and not later than 11 p.m. and business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m.

Are the arrangements as outlined for today's sittings for the taking of business agreed?

Agreed.

On the Order of Business, in view of its important effect on the economy, would the Tánaiste or the Minister for Finance make a full statement to the House on the recent bank rate increase of up to 2 per cent? Would the Tánaiste or the Minister for Finance indicate the reasons behind this increase, in a period of declining interest rates in all Western European and North American economies?

The Deputy is not in order.

Is the Tánaiste or the Minister for Finance aware of the further implications in this case, for mortgage rates, in particular?

Would the Deputy please listen to the Chair? If the Deputy wants to have a debate on that subject, he should talk to the Whips.

If this Dáil is to be a meaningful Parliament, matters of this importance should be discussed here.

It is affecting the pockets of all the people.

The Chairman is bound by Standing Orders.

This matter can be discussed between the Whips.

That was all I wanted to know, from the Tánaiste, not the Chair, that the House would have an opportunity of discussing it.

The proper way to go about it would be to have the matter discussed between the Whips.

We can arrange a debate on this important matter between the Whips.

May I be permitted to point out that the Whips did discuss this matter last week, but the Government will not allow time for a debate?

The Whips can resume discussions.

As a lone voice from the back benches, would the Chair be good enough to allow me to raise on the Adjournment the question of the tree felling and on-going trespass at Dorney Court in Shankill? Is the House aware that the Dublin County Council——

I shall communicate with the Deputy on that question.

——that there has been an interim injunction sought in the court today to prevent tree felling and development generally of this site?

The Deputy is now treading on dangerous ground.

I am most anxious to raise this matter on the Adjournment.

The Deputy is getting to the root of the matter.

May I ask, on the order of Business, why the Chair refused my Private Notice Question to the Minister for Social Welfare as to why he had refused to give double payment at Christmas to the unemployed?

For the very same reason as your party gave.

Deputy McCarthy, my secretary privately conveyed my reason for doing so.

These people are being treated as second class citizens by this Government. May I raise the matter on the Adjournment?

This is not an ordinary matter.

The Chair will communicate with Deputy McCarthy.

It is of the utmost importance that the Government should give this double payment to the unemployed.

Deputy McCarthy has requested permission to raise that subject on the Adjournment and I shall communicate with him.

Deputy Woods is late.

I want to refer to the statement by the Department of Health on the closure of eight psychiatric hospitals.

Could the Deputy ask a question, please?

I am very concerned about the effect on the Southern Health Board area of these threatened closures. There is an obligation to look after these poor people.

The Deputy cannot make a speech.

I just want to make a point.

The Deputy can make a request.

Would the Minister name the eight psychiatric hospitals which are to be closed and those relevant to the constituency of East Cork and the Southern Health Board area? This is very important. We cannot have this type of thing.

Would Deputy O'Keeffe please resume his seat?

I will resume my seat.

On the Order of Business, in view of the fact that a receiver has been appointed to the Clover Meats Group in Waterford and that £1.5 million in cheques issued by the company have not been honoured, I ask the Minister for Agriculture and the Government to give a commitment that these cheques will be honoured, because £7 million is——

This is a very important issue.

That is very familiar. It was suggested by Deputy Haughey. It is not relevant.

The Deputy should send a letter to Santa Claus.

I ask the Minister to take over the group in view of the confidence of the suppliers——

I must ask the Deputy to resume his seat. I am calling Deputy Dowling.

Despite Deputy Molony's remarks about Santa Claus, there are people who are £20,000 to £30,000 out of pocket in this case.

On a similar subject as that raised by Deputy Aylward, I ask permission from the Chair to raise on the Adjournment the question why cheques issued by Clover Meats on 23 November were not honoured.

I shall communicate with Deputy Dowling. I am now calling Deputy Wilson.

In view of the fact that some of the shipping interests have stated that they made a proposal to save Irish Shipping, would the Tánaiste make an opportunity for the House to debate this problem and to get details of the proposals, as the taxpayer is heavily involved?

It is not in order, Deputy, to raise this matter here. There is a question on the Order Paper put down by Deputy Reynolds.

In view of the general interest in Irish Shipping, perhaps the appointment of an official liquidator could be adjourned?

With your permission, I should like to raise on the Adjournment — and this is my third request in this matter — the case of a man confined to a wheelchair who has had his mobility and domiciliary allowances withdrawn, apparently as he has help——

I call Item No. 3.

On a point of order——

I also wish to raise on the Adjournment the matter referred to by Deputy Dowling.

On a point of order——

We cannot have a point of order at this time.

What is the position with regard to Kinnitty Castle in County Offaly which it was proposed to use as a detention centre? Have the Government agreed to our request not to proceed with this detention centre?

That does not arise on the Order Paper.

The Deputy is a week late.

Have the Government succumbed again? Have they backed out and run for cover again?

I should like the Deputy to resume his seat.

Certainly. The Government threw in the towel.

I wish to raise on the Adjournemnt the closure of banking and postal facilities in the Ballymun area.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the serious and deteriorating unemployment situation in Dundalk. The footwear industry and the electronics industry, ECCO——

I will communicate with the Deputy.

What is the position regarding the EC directive for social welfare recipients? It was stated recently that legislation had to be passed before 1 January. Will it be taken in conjunction with the employment scheme for a two and a half day working week? Will both these Bills be taken before the recess?

Legislation is being prepared in relation to the directive and I assume it will be before the House as soon as possible. I cannot give the Deputy an exact date but I will communicate with the Deputy later in the day.

In relation to the scheme——

I will communicate with the Deputy on both matters.

I am disappointed at the absence of the Minister for Health. Will he give the names of the eight psychiatric hospitals which are to be closed?

That is grossly disorderly.

It is very relevant to my constituency.

The Deputy will resume his seat.

Why will he name the hospitals that will be closed in the House rather than have them named in public?

If the Deputy does not sit down it is not hospitals that will be named.

Tá siad ag teacht.

What about small farmers in Waterford? The Deputy is the Minister for Agriculture. The Minister and his Department are a disgrace.

Deputy O'Keeffe will leave the House if he cannot conduct himself.

I wish to ask the Tánaiste and Ministers for Labour, Public Service and Finance if they are aware of the pending strike by Customs and Excise officers. The Ceann Comhairle's constituency will suffer. No action has been taken by the Government.

This is not orderly.

They have taken no action to try to avert the impending strike on Friday. The Border will be wide open.

This does not arise on the Order of Business.

If we were running this show as a business we would not be making a profit. There is no use locking the stable when the horse has gone. We have an opportunity to take action before Friday to ensure that the Chair's constituency and my constituency and every Border county will not be disastrously affected economically. I suppose we will not take the opportunity but will speak about it next week when it is too late. There is an obligation on the shoulders of the Chair as well.

If Deputy Gallagher has something he wanted attended to I am perfectly satisfied that he would take steps to have it attended to. If he wants Standing Orders changed he should move towards that end.

Is the Chair aware that the Border will be open?

Will the Minister for Social Welfare amend his decision and tell the House he will give a double payment to the unemployed at Christmas?

The Deputy has already given notice that he wants to raise that matter on the Adjournment.

Will any of the three Children Bills or the family planning legislation which has been promised for some time be introduced before Christmas? If not, when might we expect to have them?

The Deputy will not hear any more about that.

The legislation which the Deputy referred to will be introduced as soon as possible.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the repercussions which the pending strike on Friday will have on the economy and in particular on the economy of the Border counties.

I take it that is the strike the Deputy spoke about earlier. I will communicate with the Deputy. I will be moving on to business very soon.

This is business. Every Deputy has mentioned very serious business. Will the Tánaiste make a statement to the House on the rumour that the Government have decided to increase the take of local authority rents by as much as 20 per cent in 1985?

That does not arise on the Order of Business.

This is a very serious decision which was taken by the Government. The Tánaiste is shaking his head. Will he confirm or deny that a decision has been taken to increase it by 20 per cent?

I am not allowing that question. It is not in order.

Will the leader of the Labour Party confirm or deny that?

I am not allowing him to.

There is a 20 per cent increase in the rents for local authority tenants in 1985. The Tánaiste is shaking his head. Stand up and deny it.

I am not allowing him to do that. The Deputy is being grossly disorderly and I ask him to resume his seat.

Is the Tánaiste denying that they have taken that decision?

It is not the first time the Deputy got his figures wrong.

Is the Tánaiste denying it?

They will announce it at the weekend.

They will announce it on Christmas Eve.

In relation to my earlier question, will the Tánaiste be more specific and say if the legislation will be introduced before the recess.

It depends on the definition of "as soon as possible". It is hoped to have legislation before Christmas but I still qualify it by saying as soon as possible.

This is a Government of no legislation.

On a point of order——

I am moving on to business.

On a point of order——

The Deputy will resume his seat.

On a point of order——

Interpreters, please.

I am warning the Deputy that if he is disorderly again I will have to name him. Item No. 3.

I am appealing to the Chair on a point of order. As regards the Southern Health Board, the Minister has come into the House——

I name Deputy O'Keeffe and call on the Tánaiste to move his suspension from the House.