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Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Oct 1986

Vol. 114 No. 9

Order of Business.

It is proposed to order Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4. No. 1 is concerned with the business of the House. No. 2 is a State Guarantees Act order which relates to Aer Rianta. No. 3 is the Second Stage of the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill which was introduced into this House. No. 4 is Private Members' Business which will be moved by the Fianna Fáil Party and taken from 6.30 p.m. until 8 p.m. It is the intention that the House should sit again tomorrow in order to continue and, hopefully, to complete the discussion on the Second Stage of the National Monuments Bill and, if that is completed, to go on to the discussion of joint reports which would be items Nos. 5 and 8 on today's Order Paper.

I would appreciate your advice on a matter that need not delay us. It is very appropriate that Seanad Éireann should express its sympathy with the Mozambique people on the tragic death of their President, given the appalling difficulties that country is in at present. Perhaps if we just had a simple expression of sympathy by people in the House it would be appropriate. I am not sure what mechanism exists for doing this but time should not be allowed to pass without expressing our sympathy as a Chamber with the people involved.

The appropriate way is by way of notice, Senator.

I suggest that no group in this House would have any objection to the motion being taken without notice.

With your permission, I would like to congratulate you and the office of Public Works for fixing the door so promptly last week.

I second that.

Do Senators wish to make statements now on the death of President Samora Machel?

I do not think there is any need to make statements. A head of state has died and I think we as a House of Parliament should express our sympathy with the people of Mozambique. If we follow the usual gesture of observing a period of silence this will suffice. In doing so we would pass a motion of sympathy which would be conveyed to the authorities in Mozambique.

I would like to thank you, a Chathaoirleach, and the Leader of the Seanad for that suggestion.

I would like to draw the attention of the House to the serious situation that obtains in Galway city and county as a result of the serious postal strike——

Wait now. We have to pass a vote of sympathy.

It is threatening the commercial life of the city and county and it should be——

Any other Senators to speak on the vote of sympathy?

I would like to support the suggestion of a vote of sympathy on the death of the Mozambique President and I think we should get on with it.

I too would like to be associated with the sympathy vote and to extend my own sympathy in addition to that of this House to the people of Mozambique on the death of President Samora Machel. In the economic difficulties that country has experienced of late added to by the campaign of destabilisation from the neighbouring state of South Africa, it is doubly tragic that a man of Samora Machel's calibre should be taken from the helm of the country at this time. We would all urgently like to have the results of an independent inquiry into the cause of his untimely death.

On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party I wish to be associated with that vote of sympathy.

Probably the longest colonial war in Africa was fought to preserve Portuguese colonialism in Mozambique and Angola. One of the welcome consequences of the return to democracy in Portugal was the liberation of both Mozambique and Angola. It was a matter of great regret, therefore, that a neighbouring power which has been frequently condemned in this House saw fit subsequently to destabilise Mozambique when it was struggling to recover from the shock of the loss of capital and skilled labour from Mozambique. In that struggle to build a humane and just society in Mozambique the late President was an inspiring figure, and was an inspiring figure in the struggle for liberation in Africa generally. It is, therefore, a matter of great regret that he died, and that he died in the circumstances in which he did die. I look forward to the verdict of international opinion on the cause of his death and I wish to be associated with the vote of sympathy in this House.

Members rose in their places.

I merely wanted to draw the attention of the House to the serious situation that obtains in Galway city and county as a result of the prolonged postal strike that has been going on there now——

I have notice of this matter and I will be giving a ruling on it at 3 o'clock.

I am merely asking the House——

I have notice from Senator Killilea and I will be giving a ruling on it. Perhaps the Senators should come together and try to resolve the problem. Anybody else on the Order of Business?

I could not let the time pass without expressing some concern about the sentiments which we heard expressed this morning by Colonel Gadaffi.

It does not arise on the Order of Business.

It may not, but it is of grave importance to the people. I do not want to raise it at the expense of further division in Ireland. I also want to acknowledge straight away that, having been in Libya and spent some time there 20 years ago, I am well aware of what European colonialism did to that country long before Colonel Gadaffi. Having said that, what we have to acknowledge is that what this man is saying will raise the possibility of promoting more deaths——

The Senator may put down a motion about it.

There are new philosophies that create the liberation of both oppressed and oppressor. I therefore look forward to the day when men like Colonel Gadaffi will use their influence——

The Senator may put down a motion about it.

——to bring about peace instead of promoting more killing in our country.

The Leader of the House to conclude on the Order of Business.

I do not know what I have to reply to. I heard a series of irrelevancies but no disagreement on the Order of Business.

Order of Business agreed to.
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