It is intended to take Item No. 1 today.
Order of Business.
Could I ask the Leader of the House the time schedule he has for the completion of Report Stage of the Companies (No. 2) Bill, 1987, today and also if he will respond to questions which have been asked on the Order of Business for the past couple of weeks in relation to the programme of legislation for the coming session? On the last two occasions this was asked he promised that the House would be kept up to date on the matters he will be bringing before the House between now and the end of the session. Does the leader of the House intend to have Private Members' business today? That has to be cleared up as well. I am disappointed that the Leader of the House has not indicated at this stage what item will be taken for Private Members' business today.
I would like to share the concern expressed about the continued absence of Private Members' business from the Order of Business today. I very much hope that this situation will not be allowed to continue because it does deprive people, by interrupting the sequence, of their opportunity to introduce business which they consider urgent to the proceedings of the House. I urge the Leader of the House to make note of this and to try to ensure that Private Members' business time is availed of by all sections of the House including the Government.
I would also like some further indication, if I might, with regard to the programme of legislation. In particular I would like to ask the Leader of the House if he would inquire from the Government as to what stage the anti-discrimination Bill which was promised by the Minister for Justice during the debate on the Video Recordings Bill has reached. The Leas-Chathaoirleach will remember I made a very strong speech at that time on this issue and was told by the Minister for Justice that it was not necessarily directly relevant because the Government had a Bill with the draftsman dealing specifically with incitement to hatred and related matters. So perhaps the Leader of the House would be good enough to inquire as to what stage it is at and can we get this Bill before Christmas because I am currently being lobbied by a number of groups who are anxious that this should happen.
Perhaps you will not think that I am abusing the privilege of this House, a Leas-Chathaoirligh — if I am, I am sure you will tell me — if I say that I believe the entire House, on all sides, will welcome the presence of members of this House in Chile and extend congratulations to them. The fact that this House has had its dignity enhanced——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It hardly arises on the Order of Business. I am sure everybody heard them on the radio this morning.
And I hope again tomorrow. It is very good for the House and I am sure we wish them a safe return.
Basically the two questions asked related to Private Members' business. We have come here today to deal specifically with the Report Stage of the Companies (No. 2) Bill. Private Member's time will not be affected by the fact that we are not taking any today. When we get back to the normal running of the House, in other words, when we are not just sitting for a specific item, we will go back to the format we had in regard to Private Members' Bills and Private Members' business. I do not think there will be any reversal of what we had here before and I can guarantee that Private Members' time will be given as has been the case in the past.
As regards the programme of legislation for the forthcoming session as yet, I have not got a firming-up of the programme from the Government. I am meeting them again today and as soon as I get the programme the Whips of all parties will be told what it will be. In relation to the question asked on the anti-discrimination Bill, I will query the Government Minister as to what is the situation in this regard and will let Senator Norris know as soon as I get that information.
Before we go into the business for today, I think it would be appropriate that we should pass to the Minister for Defence and to the Chief of Staff of the Army our sincere congratulations to the United Nations peacekeeping troops on gaining the signal honour of having presented to them the Nobel Prize for Peace. I think it was an inspired choice. On occasions we have taken issue with some of the people who have got this peace prize. I do not think there is anybody in this House or country or, indeed, anybody in the world, who could be anything but delighted that this signal honour has been given to the United Nations peackeeping troops. These troops have gone into areas of the world where there has been horrific conflict and through all the years of their service they have never been criticised for being biased in their actions. They have always been fair in their treatment of the situation into which they were put.
In the Irish context, over 73 members of our own forces have been killed and to their families we sent our congratulations. Indeed, some people might say that we should send our sympathy but I think their part in peacekeeping throughout the world has made way for the signal honour that has been bestowed upon them. I have had the opportunity in various places to see the Irish troops and the troops of the United Nations at work. They are a tribute to their countries and the armies from which they come and I think I can do no more than to pass a very sincere word of congratulations to them.
I, too, want to be associated with the vote of congratulations as proposed by the Leader of the House in relation to the significant and important achievement that the UN troops achieved in gaining the Nobel Peace Prize recently. I think every parish in this country can be associated with this contribution because I suppose there is not a parish in this country where, through the Irish Army, somebody, has not made an impact or had a role to play in the peace-keeping role that has become so important for the Irish Army throughout the past number of years. Their contribution has often been taken for granted. They have tried to bring normality to very difficult situations. In the major conflicts in the Middle East, in particular, Irish personnel have worked and have often given their lives in order to protect world peace. It is appropriate, too, that we recognise this important achievement. We can be proud of the Irish Army.
This comes at a time when we have debates and discussions taking place about the conditions of the Irish Army at home. It is appropriate that we should acknowledge the contribution of UN troops, and particularly the Irish Army, by this particular award at a time when they are undergoing severe strain in their normal day-to-day activities at home.
I am not happy with the reply I received in relation to Private Members' time from the Leader of the House.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
The Chair is not going to allow a discussion on that matter. We all concur with the sentiments expressed by the Leader of the House and the Acting Leader of the Fine Gael Party. I will allow one spokesperson from each group and I will call on Senator Jack Harte to represent the Labour Party.
I am overjoyed with the news of this award for a number of reasons, but I will not go into them all. Before I make known the reason I am overjoyed I want to say there are others in the United Nations who must be associated with this award, for example, the United Nations Relief Work Agency. We do not hear much about them. Nevertheless, even though the award was not actually bestowed on them, they played a wonderful role in it and the blessing goes to all. The reasons I am overjoyed about the award are possibly biased and personal. In 1938 I actually served in that area in somewhat similar circumstances, so I can speak with some authority about the difficulties and dangers the soldiers face on a day-to-day and on a regular basis while they are out there.
I also remember being frustrated over the situation on another island that was awarded the George Cross. I spent some considerable time there. When the George Cross was awarded, even though people did not go away with a medal on their chest, it was a wonderful thing to be recognised and to see that people throughout the world were paying attention to what we were doing.
The difficulties in which the soldiers are working are not fully understood. If they move to the left, the right, or the centre, they can put a foot wrong. The discipline is tremendous, the courage is outstanding and the dedication is something to be believed. I had the privilege not only of serving there in 1938 in similar circumstances, but also of going back around 1980 and witnessing the soldiers in action. Again, I would like to say that I am overjoyed with the award and on behalf of the Labour Party I send our compliments which should be passed on through the Minister for Defence.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I thank Senator Harte and I call Senator Norris.
On behalf of the Independent group I want to place on record the fact that we would very much like to be associated with the justified tribute paid by the Leader of the House to Irish troops who have participated in the peace making role of the United Nations. I think they would all probably like me to say as well that we are very proud of the participation of this small country in all aspects of the United Nations, including the role played by young Irish diplomats in furthering the peace process in addition to the military means employed by the Army. It is particularly appropriate that Ireland, which for its size has contributed over and beyond the expected measure, should participate in this great honour. There is, I suppose, without being churlish, a degree of irony in the fact that the Nobel Prize for Peace takes its name from the inventor of dynamite, but it is particularly appropriate that a small agricultural country should so distinguish and honour itself in the tradition of beating swords into plough-shares.
Like Senator Harte I have some small experience of the Middle East and I have met the Irish troops there. I may say that I was extremely proud as an Irishman to be associated with them in that context. On the ground, I know how very highly regarded they are by all sides in the Middle Eastern conflict and I have been both in Lebanon and in neighbouring countries of Israel and Jordan where there is universal acclamation, at least in official circles, for the excellent work done by the Army and the Irish members of the peace-keeping force.
I very much welcome this recognition. We have all been proud of our soldiers and this pride has now been internationally justified and, without being carping. I hope that, in view of the requests that have been made by the wives of Army personnel, this distinction will perhaps lead to an amelioration of that particular problem.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It hardly arises.
I would like to conclude by joining the Independent Senators, two of whom, Senators Ross and O'Toole, are engaged in a similar exercise in Chile, with the motion of congratulations.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That does not arise. The Chair is disappointed that on a motion like this Senators should stretch the privilege to an unnecessary extent. Is the Order of Business agreed?
Senators
No.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
The question is "That the Order of Business be Item No. 1."
Senators
Votáil.
The Seanad divided: Tá, 30; Níl, 9.
Tá
- Byrne, Sean.
- Cassidy, Donie.
- Cullimore, Séamus.
- de Buitléar, Éamon.
- Doherty, Michael.
- Eogan, George.
- Fallon, Sean.
- Farrell, Willie.
- Ferris, Michael.
- Fitzgerald, Tom.
- Fitzsimons, Jack.
- Harte, John.
- Haughey, Seán F.
- Hillery, Brian.
- Hussey, Thomas.
- Lanigan, Mick.
- Lydon, Donal.
- McGowan, Patrick.
- Mooney, Pascal.
- Mullooly, Brian.
- Mulroy, Jimmy.
- Norris, David.
- O'Callaghan, Vivian.
- O'Connell, John.
- O'Shea, Brian.
- O'Toole, Martin J.
- Robinson, Mary T. W.
- Ryan, Brendan.
- Ryan, William.
- Wallace, Mary.
Níl
- Bradford, Paul.
- Connor, John.
- Doyle, Joe.
- Hogan, Philip.
- Kelleher, Peter.
- Kennedy, Patrick.
- Loughrey, Joachim.
- McCormack, Padraic.
- McMahon, Larry.
Tellers: Tá, Senators W. Ryan and S. Haughey; Níl, Senators Kennedy and Connor.
Question declared carried.
Order of Business agreed to.