Da´Il E´Ireann
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Vol. 580 Wednesday, No. 6 25 February 2004 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DA´ IL E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Wednesday, 25 February 2004. Leaders’ Questions ………………………………1541 Ceisteanna—Questions Taoiseach …………………………………1549 Order of Business ………………………………1561 Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill 2004: First Stage ……………………1573 Civil Registration Bill 2003: From the Seanad ……………………1573 Private Security Services Bill 2001: Order for Report Stage ……………………………1580 Report Stage ………………………………1580 Ceisteanna—Questions (resumed) Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism Priority Questions ……………………………1596 Other Questions ……………………………1607 Adjournment Debate Matters ……………………………1620 Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Order for Second Stage ……………………………1621 Second Stage ………………………………1621 Council of Europe Representatives …………………………1672 Private Members’ Business Irish Language: Motion (resumed) ………………………1672 Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage (resumed)…………1701 Adjournment Debate Hospitals Building Programme …………………………1721 Mental Health Services ……………………………1724 Services for People with Disabilities ………………………1726 Crime Levels ………………………………1729 Questions: Written Answers ……………………………1733 1541 1542 DA´ IL E´ IREANN opportunity over the weekend of talking to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I also ———— met the Chief Constable. I know, from the meetings of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, De´ Ce´adaoin, 25 Feabhra 2004. Deputy Cowen, yesterday and from reports of Wednesday, 25 February 2004. these issues, that the individual who was abducted received approximately 93 stitches. It is ———— the view of the security forces that, by ramming the vehicle, they saved his life. The security forces Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar believe that he would have been transported 10.30 a.m. across the Border and executed. It is the view of the British Government, the Northern Ireland ———— Office, the Chief Constable and the Secretary of State that the people involved were members of Paidir. the Provisional IRA and closely associated. Prayer. My views, for which Deputy Kenny has asked and which were set out in my speech in the ———— University of Ulster in Coleraine a few days ago, are that it is long past the time when we must Leaders’ Questions. reach an end to paramilitarism and the association with it. We will not make progress Mr. Stagg: I wish to raise a point of order. The until we end it entirely and completely. That has Order of Business for the day, which is normally been my view for many years and my publicly circulated a quarter of an hour before the start of declared view since I agreed to the process of the business, has not been circulated. acts of completion in the autumn of 2002 with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair. We set An Ceann Comhairle: I will take Leaders’ out to define those in a way we believe is tough Questions now. I will hear the Deputy’s point of on one side but sensible on the other. We did not order later. include everything in paragraph 13. For example, we did not include racketeering because we Mr. Stagg: Could someone arrange for it to be assumed that kind of activity has gone on for circulated while Leaders’ Questions are being generations and takes a period to end. That does taken? not mean we condone it. We are trying to get to end this activity in a reasonable time and it is An Ceann Comhairle: Leaders’ Questions are imperative that we do so. in order now under Standing Orders. In one of this morning’s newspapers I saw a Mr. Kenny: Last weekend’s boiler-suit brigade view expressed which I had stated last week when abduction in Belfast provides further proof of the I heard about this incident. Until we sign up to accuracy of Gerry Adams’s chilling declaration the policing arrangements, we will have these that the IRA has not gone away. It appears that attacks. I hate to say what I am about to say, but the victim in this case was about to meet a brutal I may as well do so because I hear it said to me and horrific end. The Chief Constable of the frequently. In some communities it is popular to Police Service of Northern Ireland has said engage in policing activities because the police categorically that the abductors were members of cannot do their normal job. Some people even the Provisional IRA. I met this morning with the say pressure is put on paramilitaries to engage in Independent Monitoring Commission and was policing activities. I do not believe this was the shocked to hear that Sinn Fe´in has said it will not case last Friday, but it has been so in other co-operate with it in any way. incidents. Does the Taoiseach believe the time has come I hope there is no party division in this House to stop pandering to the IRA and its political on this matter. We have all stated time and again representatives who are clearly intent on that we must see the end to paramilitarism in its continuing to engage in various forms of criminal entirety. This is in line with paragraph 13. The behaviour? The Taoiseach will meet a Sinn Fe´in sooner this is achieved, the better. Since the delegation today and the newspapers report that Weston Park talks which took place a number of he will make his views known to its members. years ago, we have a process to deal with policing What are the Taoiseach’s views? What action arrangements and we must also deal with that. does he propose to take to cut out the nonsense Both Governments and the political system in the and deal with paramilitary activities which are South are prepared to do so. happening in this State to the detriment of our Yesterday, the Government resisted the democracy, business, commerce and way of life? exclusion policies because we do not think they would work either, but that line cannot be kept The Taoiseach: The events of last weekend forever. We all want to move to another position. brought into clear view what the Government has However, it is now almost ten years since the first felt for some time about many of these ceasefire and seven years since the second. It is paramilitary attacks. They are horrific. I had an time to bring these activities to an end. Otherwise 1543 Leaders’ 25 February 2004. Questions 1544 [The Taoiseach.] issues. This has achieved substantial success. more people will be killed and injured. I am not People have not been caught in the act, but they in lecturing mode. I will outline again today that have changed their ways. The Deputy will activities of this nature cannot continue in a understand that I cannot give information on normal political situation. Garda activity, but the Garda now have greater knowledge of who to close in on. Mr. Deasy: The question is what the Taoiseach Second, we are involved with the support of will do about it. everybody in this House in the peace process in Northern Ireland. It is acknowledged that we will An Ceann Comhairle: This is Leaders’ not reach finality in a short period. Yesterday, it Questions. Deputy Deasy is not entitled to was agreed that both Governments would ask the undermine his leader. independent monitoring commission to examine these events in the context of the preparation of Mr. Deasy: We get speeches every week from its first report and to bring the report forward the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law to May 2004. We will continue to work with the Reform. independent monitoring commission, the British Government and the parties to try to find a An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Deasy is out of solution to the issues. order. It is his leader’s question, not his. Mr. Rabbitte: I want to raise again the The Taoiseach: I assure Deputy Kenny that I recommendation of the DIRT inquiry that the will again today make those points and put dormant funds lying in financial institutions forward the Government’s view strongly. would be taken over by the State and put at the Mr. Kenny: The Taoiseach and the disposal of people working with social, economic Government have the full backing of my party in or education disadvantage in the community. The whatever action is deemed necessary to deal with estimate was that there would be in excess of paramilitary activities. IR£100 million, but when the Government For a political party to say it is on the road to decided to implement the DIRT inquiry recommendation, a sum of \180 million was democracy and peace and truth and \ reconciliation, that a room in Belfast is cleaned transferred with anticipated annual top ups of 10 million. When the dead insurance policies are out to torture an individual and to murder him \ and that the chief constable says the perpetrators added it is estimated it will rise to 400 million. are members of the Provisional IRA is a This money was to be distributed by an statement of great clarity. We have had similar independent disbursements board to aid clear statements from the Minister for Justice, disadvantage. The Government brought forward Equality and Law Reform that the Sinn Fe´in legislation in 2001 to give effect to the DIRT party in this jurisdiction is funded by organised recommendation. During that time, the then crime in some way. Racketeering, punishment Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, stated: beatings and abductions continue to take place. To get away from the problem of having the It is the Government’s responsibility to deal with Government blamed of having a slush fund, it information from the Minister for Justice, has been decided to establish a board of Equality and Law Reform on organised crime.