Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 2

Order of Business (Resumed).

The Taoiseach

The Order of Business shall be as follows: statements re foot and mouth disease in County Louth; No. 19a, motion re membership of committees; No. 46, Carer's Leave Bill, 2000 – Second Stage (Resumed); No. 6, Vocational Education (Amendment) Bill, 2000 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; No. 47, state ments on Iraq, to be taken not later than immediately following the announcement of matters on the Adjournment under Standing Order 21; and the order shall not resume thereafter.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 19a shall be decided without debate; that proceedings on the Statements on the Outbreak of foot and mouth Disease in County Louth shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion within one hour and shall be confined to the following Members and the following arrangements shall apply: the statement of the Minister, the Minister of State and the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael and Labour parties shall not exceed ten minutes in each case, the statement by the main spokesperson for the Green Party shall not exceed five minutes and Members may share time. Following statements the Minister shall take questions for a period not exceeding 25 minutes.

The proceedings on the resumed Second Stage of No. 46, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 1.30 p.m. and the proceedings on No. 47 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 4.45 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply: the opening statement of the Minister, the Minister of State and the main spokesperson of the Fine Gael and Labour parties shall not exceed ten minutes in each case and the statement of each other Member called upon shall not exceed five minutes. Members may share time. The provisions of Standing Order 26.3 regarding leaders' questions on the Order of Business shall not apply.

I thank Deputies Mitchell, Howlin and Sargent for their co-operation with these arrangements for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. As a matter of clarification, I said earlier that the outbreak was in Jenkinstown and I thank the farmer in question and his sons for their co-operation. He lives in Jenkinstown but he has three holdings and the holding from which the sample has proved positive is in Proleek, which is well within the exclusion zone but much closer to Maigh than Jenkinstown. I wanted to clear that up.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the proposal for dealing with No. 19a agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with statements on foot and mouth agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 46 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 47 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal regarding Standing Order 26.3 agreed? Agreed.

Mr. J. Mitchell

The whole House will want the Government's undivided attention to be given to this national crisis. I ask the Taoiseach if he will agree to meet Opposition party leaders later in the day to discuss how best we can assist in mobilising all the resources of the State to fight this great threat.

Mr. Howlin

This is an unusual Order of Business and the Labour Party wants to co-operate with the Government 100% on what is the nation's singular objective, to contain the outbreak of foot and mouth that has been confirmed. In terms of keeping the Opposition informed, I reiterate Deputy Mitchell's request. Will the Taoiseach be available later today to do so? If not, will the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development or one of his Ministers of State arrange a mechanism for us to be informed? It is most important to keep the public fully informed. We have learned that it is important for the fullest, clearest and most unambiguous information to be available to people. This common endeavour, which is important to us all, must be carried out in a transparent way.

Mr. Sargent

Like the other party leaders, we in the Green Party, in smaller parties and Independents also need to be part of this common approach, not just in the House but in both parts of this island, as we now have a great deal in common. We need to ensure nobody is excluded from the information loop. The request made to the Taoiseach should ensure the Green Party is able to speak with the other parties. Everybody in the House, without exception, should be kept informed of how best to co-operate and make sure this problem is dealt with effectively.

The Taoiseach

I will be glad to make those arrangements. I am not sure about when the meeting of the expert group will conclude. The best advice will emanate from that group and from the senior veterinary personnel. We will arrange an appropriate time during the afternoon where we can do that, as soon as we have assembled the information. I will arrange that.