Vol. 600 Thursday, No. 3 14 April 2005 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DA´ IL E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Thursday, 14 April 2005. Request to Move Adjournment of Da´il under Standing Order 31 ……………… 985 Order of Business ……………………………… 986 Garda Sı´ocha´na Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage (resumed) ………………1003 Ceisteanna — Questions Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (E´ amon O´ Cu´ iv) Priority Questions ……………………………1066 Adjournment Debate Matters ……………………………1089 Adjournment Debate Services for People with Disabilities ………………………1090 Child Abuse ………………………………1092 Community Employment Schemes ………………………1094 Closed Circuit Television Systems ………………………1097 Questions: Written Answers ……………………………1101 985 986 DA´ IL E´ IREANN Mr. Kenny: It will be a shock when the Ceann Comhairle approves one of those matters. ———— An Ceann Comhairle: Some day. De´ardaoin, 14 Aibrea´n 2005. Thursday, 14 April 2005. Order of Business. ———— The Ta´naiste: It is proposed to take No. 18, Garda Sı´ocha´na Bill 2004 [Seanad] — Second Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar Stage (resumed); and No. 17, Land Bill 2004 10.30 a.m. [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed). It is pro- posed, notwithstanding anything in Standing ———— Orders, that the taking of any divisions demanded on Nos. 18 and 17 shall be postponed Paidir. until immediately after the Order of Business on Prayer. Tuesday, 19 April. ———— An Ceann Comhairle: There is one proposal to put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with the postponement of any divisions demanded on Request to move Adjournment of Da´il under Nos. 18 and 17 agreed to? Agreed. Standing Order 31. An Ceann Comhairle: Before coming to the Mr. Kenny: I wish to raise three issues with the Order of Business I propose to deal with a Ta´naiste. No legislation regarding the nursing number of notices under Standing Order 31. I will home charges is contained on the A list of legis- call Deputies in the order in which they submitted lation. When does the Ta´naiste expect to be able their notices to my office. to introduce such legislation? Will that legislation deal with the problem of lump sum payments Mr. Connolly: I seek the adjournment of the which might result in pensioners having their pen- Da´il under Standing Order 31 to debate the fol- sions reduced? Will it also address the matter of lowing urgent matter: the serious misgivings the private nursing homes and the Statute of being expressed about the effects of unmonitored Limitations? levels of chemical fluoridation of drinking water I raise this matter in a non-political fashion as on public health; the correlation between dental I know the Ta´naiste has an interest in it. Last fluorosis and bone fractures in children, the night we debated cancer screening programmes, Republic’s rate of dental fluorosis which is triple in particular BreastCheck. The radio advertise- that of Northern Ireland where fluoridation is ment for BreastCheck certainly does not do banned and the failure to implement the recom- justice to women who live in the west and south mendations of the forum on fluoridation to and should be revisited. It is offensive to women reduce limits of fluoride in drinking water. who live in parts of the country where the prog- ramme does not apply. Mr. Sargent: I seek the adjournment of the Da´il under Standing Order 31 to debate the following An Ceann Comhairle: That matter is not appropriate to the Order of Business. urgent matter: the public outcry over the crisis in hospitals, including the generous offers from Mr. Kenny: I suggest that we have a debate members of the public of portacabins and equip- next week on the report the Government will ment as a practical gesture to accident and emer- have received from the Dublin Airport Authority gency departments which are so chronically in respect of the issues of security at Dublin Air- under-resourced at present. port. I understand that from 6.30 a.m. to 9 a.m., some 44 flights were delayed. There are reports Mr. Eamon Ryan: I seek the adjournment of of security staff entering planes before crews the Da´il under Standing Order 31 to debate the and pilots. following urgent matter: that the current arrange- ments for drift netting of wild salmon at sea may An Ceann Comhairle: We cannot go into detail place the State in breach of the UN Convention on the matter. on the Law of the Sea which places obligations on the State for the conservation of migratory Mr. Kenny: We should have a full discussion wildlife, and the condemnation by the UK auth- about the matter next week. orities of our drift netting policy which has now become an issue in the upcoming British general The Ta´naiste: Legislation will be needed to election. deal with some elements of the nursing home charges issue. It is intended to have that legis- An Ceann Comhairle: Having considered the lation passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas by matters raised they are not in order under Stand- the end of this session. The legislation, if ing Order 31. required, will deal with the issue of ensuring that 987 Order of 14 April 2005. Business 988 [The Ta´naiste.] an omnibus question time on the Order of the moneys to be paid back will not be used to Business. prevent people getting social welfare entitle- ments. In other words, it will not be used for the Mr. Rabbitte: ——complaining about a com- purposes of means-testing people, which would pany being undercut. be very unreasonable. This may be done through the proposed legislation or there may be another An Ceann Comhairle: I ask the Deputy to obey mechanism for doing so. The issue of private the Chair. nursing homes is separate. The proposed Bill will provide for the repayment of those in public insti- Mr. Rabbitte: May I ask about No. 6 on the tutions. Litigation is pending regarding the legislative programme? I would have finished by private nursing home issue, which will be vigor- now if the Ceann Comhairle had permitted me. ously defended by the State. I believe everybody would accept we could not possibly pay for every- An Ceann Comhairle: The Chair cannot allow body in a private nursing home. an omnibus question time on the Order of Busi- Last night I said the Government was commit- ness or make a special rule for a Deputy. ted to ensuring BreastCheck was rolled out in Cork and Galway and in place by 2007. One Mr. Rabbitte: The Ceann Comhairle is right. would wish that population screening prog- When will the Employees (Provision of Infor- rammes could be carried out for the whole coun- mation and Consultation) Bill come before the try at once. Unfortunately that is not possible. In House? Is it not extraordinary that during the every other country we reviewed this has been Ta´naiste’s period in the Department of done on a phased roll-out basis, which is hap- Enterprise, Trade and Employment her officials pening in this case. The commitment is to have it and inspectors carried out an investigation when in place by 2007. complaints made to me, the then Minister for The Minister for Transport advises me that he Transport, Deputy Brennan, and others concern- is not certain when he will have the Dublin Air- ing that employer were communicated to her port Authority’s report. Clearly any discussion Department directly, yet she gave a clean bill of that might take place in the House should be dis- health to Gama practices? cussed by the Whips. An Ceann Comhairle: We cannot have a Mr. Rabbitte: Will the Ta´naiste clarify her debate. answer about the long-stay nursing home charges? We now receive queries from people The Ta´naiste: On long-stay charges the inten- wishing to know when they are likely to receive tion is to have the legislation passed before the some refund under whatever redress scheme the summer recess. As this will obviously be a mam- Ta´naiste might announce. I have come across moth logistical task, we are going to tender to get some cases of people in extremis who are desper- assistance because the last time the health service ately in need of some alleviation. was in a position in which repayments had to be In her speech at her party conference, the made, it took a considerable length of time — I Ta´naiste promised further involvement by the believe it was up to three years — to reimburse a private sector in the health service. Did she mean relatively small number of people in comparison Mr. Ben Dunne and other benefactors through to the number involved in the current case. I hope the “Liveline” programme? we will start to make repayments towards the end of the year, beginning in autumn, but it will not An Ceann Comhairle: The matter does not be before the summer. arise on the Order of Business. On the issue surrounding work permit legis- lation, the Bill in question will be before the Mr. Rabbitte: I wonder if the health service, House during this session. Complaints were also like Mr. Charles Haughey, will end up dependent made to me at my constituency clinic and investi- on Ben Dunne. gated on my behalf on at least two occasions when I was Minister for Enterprise, Trade and An Ceann Comhairle: We cannot have a Employment. I have asked my press officer today debate. The Deputy has other opportunities to to publish the outcome of those investigations as raise the issue if he so wishes.