Today's Order of Business is item 1, Committee Stage of the Roads Bill, which will be debated until 1 p.m. There will be a sos from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and item 2 will be taken from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. I suggest 20 minutes for spokespersons and 15 minutes for each speaker thereafter.
Order of Business.
I send our good wishes and, I am sure, the good wishes of the House, to one of our most distinguished former Members, the President of Ireland, on her visit to the Queen of the United Kingdom today.
Senator Wilson raised a point yesterday about the Adelaide Hospital and it would be churlish not to join him in congratulating the Minister for Health on his decision. It was a sensitive and difficult issue and a good deal of hard work was put into arriving at the right decision. On this side of the House, we are prepared to give credit to the Government on the odd occasion it gets something right and this is one of those occasions. I congratulate the Minister, I hope that this saga is now coming to an end and that the building of Tallaght Hospital can go ahead.
I would like to refer to a more mundane matter than those to which I referred in the last few days, the question of accommodation for the Independent Senators. We should take item 12 on the Order of Business before item 1. While recognising the support I have received from you, the Leader and other people, it is now clear that provision of resources for Members of both Houses is low on the order of priority. Deputies seem to be near the bottom of the list, Senators are even lower. I am not prepared to accept it. I recognise your support, a Chathaoirligh, and I do not wish to be offensive but this House, your decisions and those of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges are treated contemptuously. I cannot put up with it any longer. It is interfering with the operation of our work in the House and, consequently, I intend raising this matter every day.
Will the Leader intercede with the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications to ensure that all future soccer matches will be televised? Many people were disappointed yesterday as they were unable to see Ireland play although, thankfully, they were not disappointed with the result.
Tickets for everybody in the House for the match.
I join in expressing the hope that today's meeting between the President and the Queen will be successful and lead to continuing improvements in Anglo-Irish relations. I congratulate the President, as a former Member, on being conferred with an honorary degree from Oxford University yesterday.
I would also like to refer to the result of the farm talks in Brussels. I realise we have debated Common Agricultural Policy reform but I urge the Leader to try to get the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry to discuss some of its details and the talks, in particular what grounds he has for going to the European Court of Justice about the carcase weight of cattle. It is a very serious matter because, if these proposals go through, much of our beef will be excluded from intervention. We can argue about the merits and demerits of intervention but this proposal would have very serious consequences and, therefore, it is important that it is discussed. Finally, in a lighter vein, will the Leader say what the Government intends to do about the weather?
I would like to ask the Leader of the House to arrange a debate on the availability of free legal aid as soon as possible. I understand there is a serious waiting list of up to six months or a year depending on the value of the case for those involved in the legal aid scheme. In the United Kingdom, if someone applies to the Lord Chancellor for legal aid he gets it instantly. This anomaly should be discussed to establish what is wrong, as well as expressing our dissatisfaction with the administration of legal aid in this country.
I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator O'Toole. May I say the conditions for Independent Senators are such that it is virtually impossible to do an efficent job. I am glad Senator O'Toole said he would continue moving this amendment to the Order of Business on successive days, in addition to using other means to bring this matter to attention. We may have to resort to some more imaginative means to make our protest clear.
I would like also to second the remarks of Senator Manning concerning the Adelaide Hospital, I am sure, a Chathaoirligh, you will appreciate that much of the pressure placed on Government with regard to the hospital was the result of serious, balanced debates in this House. I welcome the establishment of the Adelaide Hospital under the new board, but I regret that the chairman of that board has to be an archbishop. I wish we had a fully secularised hospital system.
Is the Senator attacking Senator Ross again?
Before calling the next speaker who is Senator Wilson, can I just say and I do not wish in any way to influence your vote on the Order of Business, that I had discussions last evening with the Superintendent and I plan to meet him again this evening. From my point of view and from the point of view of this side of the House, the Committee on Procedure and Privileges is working hard to try and bring about a resolution of the Independent Senators' problem. I accept there is a problem, and I will continue today to try to resolve it.
I ask the Leader of the House if he would devote some time to a debate or a series of statements on the report of the Opsahl committee. I mentioned this on the day we had statements on Northern Ireland. This report is due to be published in the second week in June and is arousing tremendous interest. It is of great importance and contains the views of some of the best brains in Northern Ireland as well as the international judge who chaired the committee. I think the report will possibly show a way forward for Northern Ireland and for the country so I hope the Leader will find time to debate it in this House.
I join with Senators Manning and Dardis in their praise of the President and her efforts towards improving Anglo-Irish relations. I am glad she did not have to work in the conditions we currently have to work in when she was a Member of this House, and I am grateful for the Cathaoirleach's interest in our affairs.
I remind the Leader of the House that a number of weeks ago I requested him to consider having a debate in this House on the problem of drug abuse. Much publicity was given at the time to the fact that gardaí were being attacked with syringes. Apart from the reported cases, there has been at least one other case since where a young girl died from substance abuse. It is an urgent matter and I would ask the Leader to provide time for a debate on it.
I ask the Leader of the House to make time available to debate the tax amnesty passed by the Cabinet recently, in view of the fact that there is nearly all-round party support for this proposal.
The Senator can divide the 5 per cent by two.
I would like to be associated with the hope that the President's visit to London today will be a successful one. I also take on board what Senators Manning and Norris said about the decision on the Tallaght Hospital and the role this House played in that decision. It is true that many constructive debates took place here and I congratulate the Minister for Health and the members of all the hospital boards involved in that decision. I would ask Senator O'Toole to accept that, as the Cathaoirleach has said, every effort is being made to resolve the situation he and his group have to live with at the moment. I would ask him to wait another week because I believe in the coming days a favourable solution will be found.
As regards the point made by Senator Dardis, I will try to ensure that the Minister for Agriculture will be in the House next week to deal with the matters raised. I hope before the summer recess the Whips can agree a date for a debate on legal aid in line with Senator McGowan's request. Such a debate would be welcome. In reply to Senator Wilson, I am sure when the Opsahl report is published the Whips will also agree to have that discussed. Finally, we will have a debate on the drugs issue before the summer recess in line with Senator McGennis' request.
Senator O'Toole has moved an amendment to the Order of Business, seconded by Senator Norris, that Item 12 be inserted before Item 1. Is the amendment being pressed?
In deference, a Chathaoirligh, to your own request and that of the Leader of the House, we have had a brief discussion on the matter here. We appreciate the good faith involved and do not wish to press it.
I can assure you that both the Leader and I will do our utmost again today to do something——
Short of evicting Senator Ross.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta will rehouse him.
Who is this Senator Ross?
Order of Business agreed to.