Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 1 Apr 1993

Vol. 135 No. 12

Order of Business.

Mr. Wright

Today's Order of Business is Items 1, 2, 3 and 4. It is proposed to take all Stages of Item 3 today. I suggest the Whips meet at 1 p.m. to assess the situation. The Bill must be passed today and I hope the House will deal with it accordingly. We will have a sos from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

We will have a further opportunity to discuss Items 1 and 2 when they come back from the Dáil. I am assured that a foreign affairs committee will be announced before the Easter recess. There will be five Senators on that committee.

Mr. Manning

The Leader of the House anticipated me when he agreed to a further discussion on Items 1 and 2. We agree to their going through today. Like many others I am concerned about the exclusion of this House from many of the proposed new committees. We urgently need to address this matter. I ask the Leader of the House whether he will make Government time available to take item 5 on the Order Paper — the Suicide Bill, 1993 — put down by Senator Neville. May I have clarification from the Leader on the report in today's papers about the invitation to Mr. John Hume to address the House? The Leader knows I support any use of Standing Orders to invite distinguished speakers to the House and I support its use for the furtherance of understanding on Northern Ireland. I am concerned, however, about two aspects of the report in today's paper. It is important that if we are inviting people like Mr. John Hume — and he is most welcome — that he is not the only representatives invited and that other constitutional groups in Northern Ireland also be afforded the opportunity to speak to the House. Could he confirm that this is the beginning of an ongoing process rather than a single invitation? I am concerned about one aspect of today's reporting — which I am sure is not the fault of the Leader of the House — where the impression is given that the invitation to Mr. Hume is a sop on the part of the Government to assuage some feelings they may have of not being taken seriously on some recent matter. I would like to put on record that this is not the reason. His visit is part of a process which started in this House and is not being undertaken to placate the Government in any way.

Mr. O'Toole

I would appreciate if the Leader would indicate the sitting arrangements for next week. I welcome his commitment to the announcement of a foreign affairs committee. On behalf of Senator Norris I would like to express support for that initiative. I am concerned about reports regarding the invitation to Mr. John Hume who is a constituent of mine. I would welcome his invitation and can the Leader clarify whether an invitation has been issued?

I sat with Senator Manning on the subcommittee which brought forward the proposals to incorporate this mechanism of invitations in Standing Orders. I welcome its use, but I am concerned about the way this invitation has been issued. The Government side of the House are entitled to take credit for the initiative, but there should be some element of consultation, confidential or otherwise, before invitations are issued. Embarrassment could be caused where invitations are issued without some form of consultation or discussion at some level. I welcome this initiative; it is a positive and progressive move. We should now consider some future guidelines on how invitations should be initiated as well as the process of Seanad approval for having that done.

Mr. Finneran

I want to ask the Leader of the House if it is his intention to allow a debate on the implementation of Common Agricultural Policy reform. This is the third occasion on which I have raised this matter. Certain aspects of it are causing major concerns to the farming community, in particular the implementation and interpretation of the retirement package. It is such a serious matter that we need to discuss it in a public forum such as the Houses of the Oireachtas. Can time for such a debate be made available in this House? If we move along into the summer——

An Cathaoirleach

You have made your point.

Mr. Finneran

If we go into the summer without such a debate we will have lost the opportunity of making a major contribution to the farming community.

Mr. Dardis

The Order of Business as outlined by the Leader is acceptable as far as I am concerned. I re-echo the call of Senator Manning that in the event of Mr. Hume being invited to the House, other senior representatives of constitutional groups should be afforded the same invitation. We are all agreed, on the basis of previous discussions on Seanad reform that this is a very desirable development. However, it must be made clear to everybody that it is the House which extends invitations to distinguished visitors to address the Seanad; it is not the responsibility of Government to do so. I hope we can go on from there to introduce some other improvements which have been mentioned, for instance, European Commissioners might attend when we are discussing European matters. I support Senator Finneran's call for a discussion on Common Agricultural Policy and GATT, which I mentioned on Tuesday's Order of Business. In view of the fact that the Government in France has changed, and the socialist complexion is not quite as pink as it was before, it is probable that GATT will be changed and we should express our views on this.

Given that today is 1 April and that yesterday we had reports of objects being seen flying over Clare and parts of the south, can the Leader now confirm that intelligent life has arrived in Ireland?

Mr. Roche

A partisan comment.

Ms Kelly

Has it?

Mr. Sherlock

One welcomes the initiative of using the Seanad as a political forum for debate on Northern Ireland. In view of the fact that there is no forum in Northern Ireland at which such issues can be debated it is all the more welcome. I support the previous speakers who said that an invitation to Mr. Hume should be followed by invitations to representatives of all other political parties. Whether they come is another matter.

An Cathaoirleach

For the information of the House we proposed visits of distinguished people as part of the reforms which we discussed some years ago. There are strict guidelines for such invitations. The Committee on Procedure and Privileges must agree and it must be a resolution of the House. The Department of Foreign Affairs and, therefore, the Government has an involvement. I am citing the procedures particularly for the benefit of new Members.

Mr. Roche

I would like to ask, and I realise it might be stretching things a little, if we could make time available in this House to discuss the continuing extraordinary situation in East Timor. Since the Indonesian Government invaded those islands in 1975, 200,000 people have been slaughtered. It is one of the most horrific genocides in world history with one third of the population having been killed. It goes largely unnoticed. I realise there are many claims on the time of the House but it would be a good idea.

Mr. O'Toole

We have discussed it twice in this House already. It did not go unnoticed here.

Mr. Roche

I read the newspapers occasionally and I am aware of that. I would like this matter kept under continuous review and, as this House is the only forum in these islands that has chosen to discuss it, we should follow the precedent already set. I thank Senator O'Toole once again for his kindness.

Mr. Kelleher

I would like this House to discuss the appalling situation in the former Yugoslavia, a place less than four hours from here by plane. It is a very serious issue on the doorstep of the EC which has shown a lack of imagination and initiative in dealing with it. Only for the American Government's intervention, the situation would have got out of hand. I urge this House to have a debate on this issue and to reach a consensus.

Mr. Wright

Next week we will be sitting on Wednesday and Thursday. It is intended to take the Roads Bill, Second Stage, and Private Members' Business on Wednesday and the Unfair Dismissals Bill, Committee Stage, on Thursday.

I read today's papers with interest as well. I want to assure the House that it certainly was not on the Leader's behalf that the article on Mr. Hume's visit appeared. I outlined the position in the Seanad on Tuesday and will repeat what I said then. I have passed on a request to the Taoiseach and I await a response. You have rightly, a Chathaoirligh, outlined the procedures for the issuing of invitations. I made it clear in the letter that invitations would be extended to all and not just to one.

Items 1 and 2 will be debated here when they come back from the other House. I am sorry Senator Norris was not here to read my body language on my announcement of a foreign affairs committee. Had I known he was not in the House I would have waited until Tuesday to make the announcement.

Mr. O'Toole

I will convey the Leader's apologies to him.

Mr. Wright

Senator Finneran has raised the matter of Common Agricultural Policy reform again and I am sure after the Easter recess we will have such a debate. Many other issues raised by Senators Dardis, Roche and Kelleher would become part and parcel of the Seanad contribution to the foreign affairs committee. I am sure the five Senators on that committee will recommend debates to this House on a regular basis.

Order of Business agreed to.