Business of Seanad.

An Cathaoirleach

I have notice from Senator Brian O'Shea that, on the motion for the Adjournment of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Finance to expand the recent decentralisation programme to include other areas than those designated in order to redress regional imbalances.

I also received notice from Senator Nuala Fennell of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Health to account for the grave situation created in St. James' Hospital, due to the health cuts. The closure of half the beds in this hospital will have serious consequences for the old and the sick throughout the community.

I also received notice from Senator Michael Ferris of the following matter:

The need for the Minister for Labour to ensure that funding under the Youth Employment Agency for the green certificate in farming be continued.

I also received notice from Senator Katharine Bulbulia of the following matter:

The legitimate concern of permanent pensionable staff of voluntary hospitals in relation to statutory redundancy and pension rights as a consequence of Government health cuts which threaten the survival of many such hospitals.

I also received notice from Senator John Connor of the following matters:

1. The need for the Minister for Agriculture and Food to facilitate grant payments to farmers who undertook emergency farm building due to the inclement weather in 1985 and 1986 under the farm improvement scheme.

2. The need for the Minister for Education to provide funds to erect a new primary school at Frenchpark, County Roscommon.

I also received notice from Senator Phil Hogan of the following matters.

1. The present position regarding the proposed Castlecomer community school. County Kilkenny, and when work will commence.

2. The present position regarding the new model primary school, Castlecomer Road, County Kilkenny, and when work will commence.

I also received notice from Senator Katharine Bulbulia of another matter:

The severe underfunding of the Council of Status of Women which represents 250,000 women and 55 affiliated organisations.

I also received notice from Senator Eamon de Buitléar of the following matter.

The need for the Minister for Finance to ensure in the interest of economic rectitude and environmental protection, that all future grant aided drainage work or arterial drainage should be subject to cost benefit analysis.

I regard all matters as suitable for discussion on the Adjournment. I have selected Senator Brian O'Shea's motion and it will be taken at the conclusion of business. Senators Fennell, Ferris, Bulbulia, Connor, Hogan and de Buitléar may give notice for another day of the matters they wish to raise.

At this point I would like to remind Senators that they will have to repeat the process of giving notices of motions on the Adjournment. We are continually receiving notices of such motions but when they are not taken the notice should be repeated if the Members concerned do not wish the motions to lapse.

Mr. McMahon

Would I be in order in making a comment on the statement you just read or will we have an opportunity on the Order of Business of saying a word or two on it?

An Cathaoirleach

We are not having a discussion on it. I wanted every person in the House to know the present position. I have asked for a quarterly report. This will mean that every Member will be informed of the work in the Chamber as the work progresses. I prefer always to be told about something in which I am interested as opposed to reading about it somewhere. That is why I, as Cathaoirleach, decided to make the statement, and to tell every Member of the Seanad how we are progressing. I would prefer if we did not open a discussion on the matter now.

Mr. McMahon

I hope what I have to say will make you feel better also. You went to great lengths, and I congratulate you on this, in giving the information to the Seanad because such information does not always filter down to every Senator even though we have representatives, with no disrespect to them, on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. You also went to great lengths to ensure that the public do not get the impression that the Seanad is crumbling, even if its Chamber is.

I wonder if the Leader of the House would give some consideration to an Adjournment debate. There are also a number of items I think we should review. After all, we are sitting much longer hours this year than the Seanad ever sat before. Last year we sat, I think, a record time, until 9 July. This year we will sit at least 14 days longer. I expect we will be sitting tomorrow judging by the amount of business I see on the Order Paper. We have initiated in this House seven Bills, as you have just said, and we have passed 18 Bills. The initiation of so many Bills in this House is a departure from the normal procedure of the Seanad.

While I accept that the Constitution provides for the initiation of Bills in the Seanad, are we departing from the spirit of the constitution in initiating seven Bills in one short term? In other words, the major debate on those Bills is now taking place in the Upper House rather than in the Lower House which has been the practice since the Constitution was enacted. I do not want to give the impression that I am taking from the work of the Seanad, but we are departing from what has been normal procedure over the years. This should be considered. We should know the Government's intention for the remainder of the life of this Seanad, whether it be six months or four years. We should know if we will continue in this vein and look at our constitutional position. We should have a two hour Adjournment debate and I am sure most Senators would be willing to come here again tomorrow to clear the air on this point.

An Cathaoirleach

I am sure the Leader of the House will answer you in his own lovely style but I am amazed at you, Senator McMahon, because while you complimented the statement, you then criticised the amount of legislation. As regards our entitlement under the Constitution, I am certain that the Attorney General would not allow us to take Bills if they were unconstitutional.

The Leader of the House on the Order of Business.

Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Jul 1987