Vol. 722 Thursday, No. 3 18 November 2010 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Thursday, 18 November 2010. Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32 ……………… 477 Order of Business ……………………………… 477 Suspension of Member……………………………… 481 Betting, Gaming and Lotteries (Unclaimed Winnings) Bill 2010: First Stage ………… 493 Irish Banking: Statements …………………………… 494 Straitéis 20 Bliain Don Ghaeilge: Ráitis ……………………… 521 Ceisteanna — Questions Minister for Foreign Affairs Priority Questions …………………………… 542 Other Questions …………………………… 552 Messages from Seanad ……………………………… 561 Adjournment Debate Matters …………………………… 561 Adjournment Debate Health Services ……………………………… 561 RoadNetwork………………………………563 Horse Racing Ireland …………………………… 565 Sugar Beet Industry …………………………… 568 Questions: Written Answers …………………………… 571 DÁIL ÉIREANN ———— Déardaoin, 18 Samhain 2010. Thursday, 18 November 2010. ———— Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar 10.30 a.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32 An Ceann Comhairle: Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 32. I will call on Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office. Deputy Finian McGrath: I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise an issue of national importance and concern, namely, the urgent need to support the Northside Community Law Centre in Coolock. I commend the centre for its valuable work right across the north side of Dublin and call on the Minister for Social Protection to support it with adequate funding in 2010 and 2011. Deputy Martin Ferris: I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to debate the urgent need to address road safety on the N21 between Abbeyfeale and Newcastlewest to prevent further road accidents and loss of life, and the need to ensure that the proposals to upgrade the road, prevented by Limerick County Council, are proceeded with and the council is provided with the proper support from the National Roads Authority in terms of funding. An Ceann Comhairle: Having considered the matters raised, they are not in order under Standing Order 32. Order of Business The Tánaiste: It is proposed to take No. a17, statements on banking and; No. 17, ráitis faoin tuarascáil maidir le straitéis 20 bliain don Ghaeilge. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the proceedings on No. a17 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 95 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the statements shall be confined to a Minister or Minister of State and to the main spokespersons for Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, who shall be called upon in that order, who may share their time, and which shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (ii) a Minister or Minister of State shall take questions for a period not exceeding 30 minutes; (iii) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; (2) the proceedings on No. 17 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 3.30 p.m. today and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the speech of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; 477 Order of 18 November 2010. Business [The Tánaiste.] (ii) the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; (iii) Members may share time; (iv) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed ten minutes. An Ceann Comhairle: There are two proposals to be put to the House today. Is the proposal for dealing with No. a17, statements on banking agreed to? Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is not agreed. Deputy Enda Kenny: It is not agreed to. I would like to say something about this. First, every other business should be suspended for the day—— Deputies: Hear, hear. Deputy Enda Kenny: ——until we deal with this matter. It is rich for the great republican party to come to the House on 18 November 2010 and tell us we will have statements about straitéis don Ghaeilge. Wrap the green flag around me and preserve the national language on a day when we now have confirmation of the handing over of our economic independence to personnel from abroad. An Ceann Comhairle: I do not propose to allow a discussion on this matter on the Order of Business. Deputy Enda Kenny: I know you do not. (Interruptions). An Ceann Comhairle: Just a moment. There is a proposal on the Order of Business today that we have contributions and a question and answer session immediately afterwards. Deputy Finian McGrath: There is a crisis in the country. Deputy Enda Kenny: Ninety five minutes. Deputy Brendan Howlin: Ten minutes. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan: It is a limited debate. An Ceann Comhairle: We should not get into the business of anticipating what might be said later on. It is singularly inappropriate to abuse the Order of Business in such a manner. Deputy Enda Kenny: After almost 95 years the Government gives us 95 minutes to deal with the banking situation. This day represents the conclusion of the type of politics practised by the Tánaiste’s party — cronyism, sleeveen politics, dig outs, nods and winks—— An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Kenny. Deputy Enda Kenny: ——how’s your father, buy them off, of gross incompetence in the State—— Deputy Bernard J. Durkan: Hear, hear. An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Kenny. Deputy Enda Kenny: ——and make the people pay at the end of the day. 478 Order of 18 November 2010. Business Deputy Timmy Dooley: You know all about that. Deputy Michael Ring: Go to the country. An Ceann Comhairle: All those points can be made when the discussion commences immedi- ately after the Order of Business, not on the Order of Business. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan: This is the Order of Business. Deputy Enda Kenny: I do not accept the proposal from the Tánaiste. I am pleased to see the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, is sitting beside her. He did not recognise what was going on in the past week. He suggested they were discussions of fiction. I suppose the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Deputy Hanafin, who is absent, will record the per- sonnel from the ECB and the Commission—— An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Kenny is anticipating the debate that is set out in the Order of Business. Deputy Enda Kenny: ——as tourists if they are in this country for two nights. An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Kenny should co-operate with the Chair. Deputy Enda Kenny: I want you to know, a Cheann Comhairle—— An Ceann Comhairle: I could understand Deputy Kenny wishing to make those points if we did not have provision for statements and questions and answers, but we have provisions for both. Deputy Tom Hayes: You should co-operate with Deputy Kenny. Deputy Enda Kenny: I want you to understand, a Cheann Comhairle. I heard the British Chancellor yesterday talk about giving loans to the State. I understand there is no Machiavel- lian intent—— Deputy Timmy Dooley: Deputy Kenny might have been looking for it last week. Deputy Michael Ring: Are you not ashamed? Keep your mouth shut. Deputy Enda Kenny: ——but the consequence of it would be that the British Government would give the State money so that AIB could pay off British banks and the Irish taxpayer would pay for that. An Ceann Comhairle: We will not have this debate on the Order of Business. There is provision to make all those points subsequent to the Order of Business during statements and questions and answers. Deputy Alan Shatter: The Ceann Comhairle is making a disgrace of himself. He is undermin- ing the credibility of this House. An Ceann Comhairle: I am not undermining the credibility of this House. Deputy Shatter will withdraw the remark or leave the House. Deputy Alan Shatter: The Leader of the Opposition is entitled to make known his views on why we are not agreeing the Order of Business. 479 Order of 18 November 2010. Business An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Shatter will leave the House. Deputy Alan Shatter: I will not leave the House. You are making a disgrace of this House. An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Shatter will withdraw the remark. Deputy Alan Shatter: We want more time to discuss an issue of major national importance. An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Shatter will withdraw the remark. He is impugning the integ- rity of the Chair of this House. That is out of order. Deputy Shatter will leave the House. Deputy Alan Shatter: The veil of Fianna Fáil is clouding your perception of how to deal with this matter. You are disgracing the Chair. An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy Shatter will leave the House. Deputy Alan Shatter: I will not. An Ceann Comhairle: I will adjourn the Dáil for ten minutes. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan: That is a lovely response to the economic situation. Sitting suspended at 10.40 a.m. and resumed at 10.50 a.m. An Ceann Comhairle: Could I request Deputy Shatter—— Deputy Enda Kenny: May I say something? An Ceann Comhairle: One moment until I deal with this matter. I request that Deputy Shatter withdraw the remark or leave the House. Deputy Alan Shatter: My entitlement to be in this House is set in the Constitution and is based on the election of my constituents. At a time of national emergency—— An Ceann Comhairle: We are not going to get into that debate at this point, Deputy.