It is proposed to take item 1 today. Matters on the Adjournment will be taken at the conclusion of business.
Order of Business.
We agree the Order of Business. I am happy that it is open-ended and there will be plenty of time to conclude the Bill. This year, 1995, is European Nature Conservation Year and this House should make some contribution by way of statement or discussion, I can hardly say debate because we would all agree with what is happening. The Royal Hospital, Kilmainham is hosting the World Conference of the Whale and Dolphin Society and thousands of people will come to the country.
Obviously of interest to Dingle, Senator.
Yes, and I should remind the House that Fungi will not be able to attend but we hope to bring many of the Ministers down to see him. It would be appropriate to have a debate or statement made, prior to that conference.
The Order of Business is agreed to. I hope that the Leader of the House has made appropriate arrangements to sit tomorrow if we do not conclude our business today. We should not rush into completing our business today.
I agree with what Senator Fitzgerald has just said. The news from St. John's, Newfoundland this morning that 75 per cent of the catch in the Spanish trawler, apprehended by the Canadian authorities, was illegal proves once again that the Spanish, our European colleagues, have broken international and European law. The Canadian Minister for Fisheries, Brian Tobin, was right to take the action he did and it is time we congratulated him. This morning Irish fishermen will be saying "Well done Canada". It is time we took the same strong line with the Spanish authorities.
I look forward to a debate on the Marine next week where I hope we can ask the Minister for Defence and the Marine to spell out in significant terms from an Irish point of view — even if that is overly nationalistic at this point — where our interest is best served. As Senator Fitzgerald just said, we talk about the conservation of whales and dolphins which is very important, but the other fish are also important. As long as people are fishing with illegal nets for undersize fish, their conservation becomes an aspiration which will never be achieved.
I have raised on a number of occasions with the Leader of the House the question of a debate on education. The publication of the White Paper on Education now seems imminent. Therefore, although I have been pushing for an early debate, it would be more appropriate if that debate did not take place until the publication of the White Paper in April. It is a matter which interests all Members and primary and post primary schools and political involvement have all been dealt with over the last two or three years.
The Leader has given some indication of certain Bills which will be initiated in this House over the next number of weeks. It would be appropriate for us to have some indication of what those Bills might be.
I agree to the Order of Business as proposed by the Leader. We will make every effort on this side of the House to ensure that he is not detained beyond lunch time tomorrow.
Since the beginning of the session I have raised the Price Waterhouse report on the Defence Forces. I recall the Leader indicated to us that this matter would be discussed here. Does he have any plans in that respect in the coming weeks?
We need to examine the whole question of interest rates and currency, particularly given the 1 per cent rise which the Irish Permanent Building Society has imposed upon its mortgage holders. That seems to be more to do with advancing the shareholders in that company who, by and large, are large corporate holders rather than looking after the interests of the mortgage holders. We need to have a detailed debate on currency, the way the exchange rates have been moving over the past few weeks and the exposure of the economy, particularly of exporters. Could the Leader allocate time to this, if not next week then, at least, the week after?
I support the views expressed by Senator O'Toole on the widespread illegal activities of the Spanish fishing fleet. As most Members know, there has been a change in the common fisheries policy which allows the Spanish fleet into the Irish box from next year and poses a very serious threat to our fishing industry and the livelihoods of fishermen. This illegal Spanish activity with flags of convenience vessels is nothing new to us.
I would like the Minister to put the Irish point of view more firmly to the European Union. While the EU has expressed its view on this, the Irish point of view has not been expressed by the Minister or the Minister for State. I was disappointed by the statements made by the Minister of State, Deputy Gilmore, and the Minister, Deputy Coveney, on this matter. I am glad we will have the opportunity here to query this. It is a very serious matter for the Irish industry, a matter of which the Minister should take note.
I ask the Leader of the House to arrange for a debate here with the Minister for the Environment on the allocations to local authorities for county and regional roads. The Leader will be aware that concern has been expressed on all sides of the House about the deteriorating state of county and regional roads. The recent allocations by the Minister are totally inadequate and are a cause of great concern to all local authorities. There is a widespread demand for the Minister to find additional funding to deal with the crisis which has been further exacerbated by the recent flooding and bad weather conditions, especially on the west coast. What efforts will he make to provide funding in addition to what has already been allocated?
I would like the Leader of the House to discuss with the Minister for Justice her proposal to hold a referendum on changes in the bail laws. We should congratulate her on this proposal as it is an important matter. I commend her on her approach but I would like a debate in this House at an early stage as there are differing views on this proposal. Such a debate would mean that the Minister could hear the views and get many important ideas and proposals for this proposed change in the Constitution.
Will the Leader of the House make time available for a debate on European affairs and foreign affairs. generally which could encompass the issues of currency, fisheries and other related issues? The move towards a single currency was mentioned before and that we might be able to avoid interest rate fluctuations. I am sure the Leader is aware of the great changes taking place in Europe with the enlargement of the Union. Last Monday the EU signed an agreement with Turkey, whereby Turkey will become a full member of the customs union on 1 January 1996.
I join the last speaker in asking the Leader to make time available for a debate on the bail laws. The Minister is to be commended and I hope that the other partners in this Government will not get in the way of the proposed amendment to the bail laws.
I suggest to the Leader, in order to assist him in co-operating with the demands of the Opposition, that this session should continue ad infinitum. Sprigs of shamrock are available today in the House to enable us to sit right through St. Patrick's Day, if we so desire, with the compliments of the Joint Services Committee.
We sat on the eve of St. Patrick's Day ten or 15 years ago.
This House adjourned quite late last night and when it adjourned I understood we were still in the EU. My understanding was that there was a dispute between the EU, of which we are a member, and the Canadian Government. My philosophy is quite simple — if the Spaniards are robbing the Canadians, they cannot be busy robbing us. Quite frankly, I prefer the former.
The Senator is defending the indefensible.
On a point of order, they are not robbing the Canadians, they are robbing the world.
That is not a point of order.
I seek your guidance. Sir, and that of the Leader of the House as to how the House might debate a most serious case of a Galway man whose family has looked for answers to his death in London nine years ago. They have received most unsatisfactory replies, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, from the Home Office as to the circumstances surrounding his death and the subsequent investigation.
We cannot resolve this matter on the Order of Business. The Senator should submit it as a matter on the Adjournment and I will try to facilitate him as quickly as possible if it is that urgent. Perhaps, the Leader will have some other ideas but I think that it would be difficult to deal with it on the Order of Business.
I just want to mention that the family has now found it necessary to protest tomorrow at the gates of Leinster House at what is a most disquieting case. I ask the Leader of the House to contact the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs so that questions which have been asked over the years may be answered. In this case the British police issued a photograph of a man to the family which was not a photograph of this young man. It is causing great concern——
I know the Senator is genuinely concerned about this matter. However, he will appreciate that it is not a suitable matter for the Order of Business. I suggest the Senator talks to the Leader later or tables an Adjournment matter. This might be more effective.
Perhaps the Leader could contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
I am sure he will. Talk to him afterwards.
It is not good enough that a family must protest outside the gates of Leinster House in order to start to get answers.
The Leader of the House has been asked for a debate on crime. This matter and the issue of drugs are most urgent at present. On the radio this morning a priest said that there are queues of drug addicts trying to get treatment and help. He quoted the case of a young addict who left the Mater Hospital because voluntary and State organisations are not in a position to give him any assistance due to the number of people seeking help. The priest said he believed that crime would be cut by 40 per cent if more money was put into trying to rehabilitate those who want to be rehabilitated. There should be a debate on this issue.
I also compliment the Minister on her initiative in relation to the bail laws. We must come to grips with this because crime is rampant in the country. We have been trying to deal with this problem for the past 25 years with psychologists, sociologists and various types of kid glove methods. The gloves must come off and we must confront this problem.
Two weeks ago I raised with the Leader the matter of the publication of the White Paper on mental illness. I wish to know when this White Paper will be ready. Given the inspector's report on mental hospitals last week, this matter is becoming more urgent and I wish to get an indication of when the White Paper will be ready.
I support Senator Maloney on that matter. I do not know if the 1992 report, which was published last week, has been brought before the Oireachtas yet, which the Minister is obliged to do under the Mental Treatment Act, 1945. I strongly support Senator Maloney's point and I hope the report will be brought before the Oireachtas as soon as possible.
I wish to support Senator O'Toole's call for a debate on fisheries and in particular the position with regard to illegal fishing by the Spanish. I agree with the Senator that many Irish people do not agree with the approach of the European Commission on this matter. They consider that the Spanish are in breach of all regulations. There is much disquiet in the country about this matter and a debate should be held in the House.
I also support Senator Daly. There was a long debate in the House over a period of two weeks on flooding. The condition of a number of roads across the country, which were damaged as a result of flooding, cannot be ignored. It appears that this matter has not been addressed in the allocations which have been announced. A debate on this issue should be held, where the House might be able to persuade the Minister to provide more funds for roads.
I also wish to raise item 11, which calls on the Minister for Health to implement all the sections of the Child Care Act, 1991. Given the Bill before the House, it is most appropriate to raise this matter on the Order of Business this morning and the House should hold a debate on it as soon as possible. We must be conscious of the fact that the legislation governing child care is 100 years old and that only a quarter of the new legislation, 20 of the 80 sections, has been implemented by the Minister. Given the ongoing national debate about child care, I would appreciate it if the Leader would provide time so that the House could debate the implementation of the Act. I would also agree if the Leader wished to broaden the debate to cover other health issues.
On the Order of Business, Senator Fitzgerald raised questions dealing with the marine. In response to a request from Senator Fitzgerald some time ago, the Minister for the Marine will be in the House on Thursday week for the morning. Apart from the debate, he has agreed to take questions from Members, so many of the issues raised by the Senator this morning will be covered then. Senator Fitzgerald's idea of a discussion on nature conservation, which is highlighted by what is happening off the coast of Newfoundland, is well worth following up. I will see what can be done in that regard and consider if it can coincide with the conference mentioned by the Senator.
With regard to Senator O'Toole's request for a debate on education. I have a firm date from the Minister, around the end of April, for an open ended debate on this area. I do not know when the White Paper will be published but it should be around that time.
I am not sure what other Bills in the immediate future will be initiated in the Seanad. I have asked the Government to consider whether the Reporting of Incest Bill, which has been published, can begin its life in this House. I will know later today if that is possible. I hope it will be possible and, if so, it could happen as soon as next week.
With regard to Senator Dardis's point about the Defence Forces, the Minister for the Marine will be in the House next week. We will try to get a date from him then as to when he will return to discuss that matter.
There have been quite a number of calls recently for a debate on banking, which is appropriate. I will try to start that debate either next week or the following week at the latest. However, I wish to talk to the other groups about the format of the debate. The last time the debate fell a little flat on its face at a certain stage, so we might try a different format this time. I am open to ideas in that regard.
With regard to the inquiries about the justice area and bail, the Minister has agreed to come to the House in the near future for a general discussion on major issues in her portfolio. I will request the debate sought by Senator Daly and I will come back to him quickly on that matter.
There was a discussion in Private Members' Time last week on foreign affairs. With regard to this area, I suggest we allow the two committees which are being set up this week to get down to work. We can then consider some reporting mechanism, which would allow us to have a discussion on a regular basis on specific aspects of foreign affairs. I ask the ten Senators who are members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the six members of the European Affairs Committee to see if we could find some mechanism for regular discussions on foreign affairs rather than just ad hoc reactions to specific events.
A number of health issues were raised, including mental illness and the Child Care Act. The Minister for Health will be in the House all day today and possibly tomorrow. I will get some indication from him regarding next week as to when he will be in a position to discuss some of these issues.
I omitted to ask if there would be a sos in the event of the Bill going on.
We will take it as it comes.
Order of Business agreed to.