It is proposed to take item 1 until 6 p.m. I suggest 25 minutes per spokesperson and 15 minutes for each speaker thereafter. Item 15, the Progressive Democrats Private Members' motion, will be taken from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Death of Member. - Order of Business.
Are we only taking Second Stage of the Criminal Law (Incest Proceedings) (No. 2) Bill, 1995, today?
Yes.
I welcome the fact that the Bill is being initiated in this House. We will not oppose Second Stage because we will have an opportunity to improve the Bill on Committee Stage. Item 17 on the Dáil Order Paper today is a Fianna Fáil Bill on this issue in the name of Deputy O'Donoghue but we hope we will have a chance to improve the Government's Bill in this House.
I raised the need for a general and regular debate on foreign policy on a number of occasions and I note the new committee has been established. I know the Leader of the House agrees that we should have a regular debate on foreign policy rather than dealing with it on an ad hoc basis issue by issue — debating Tibet one day and East Timor the next. Perhaps the Chairman of the foreign policy committee might be present for a debate on a report of that committee, an issue I raised last year. We need to approach foreign policy imaginatively because it now touches on various areas, including neutrality, sovereignty, our relations with NATO and a host of other international organisations. Rather than allowing foreign policy to develop in an ad hoc way, it should be structured. We should debate it for one day every two months.
Although we do not oppose the Order of Business, in respect of item 1 and the remarks made by the Leader of the Fianna Fáil group, may I say that we have a similar Bill on the Order Paper. As of now we intend to press the Bill, but we will wait to hear what the Minister has to say and to see what the outcome at the end of the Second Stage debate will be before we test that.
Another matter I would like to raise with the Leader is the fluctuation on the currency market and the problems it is creating, particularly for those exporting food products and other materials. I regard it as a matter of priority that we debate the currency issue and the economy in general at the earliest opportunity. This matter has been raised on several occasions over the past few weeks.
I wish to clarify a matter relating to last week's business. It was stated in the press and on "Oireachtas Report" that the Progressive Democrats withdrew an amendment to the Regulation of Information (Services Outside the State for Termination of Pregnancies) Bill, 1995. That was not the case. The amendment was not withdrawn, it was put to a voice vote. It was defeated by voice vote and there was no division. It is important to put the record straight on that matter.
I ask the Leader of the House whether he will give time to discuss item 4, the Freedom of Information Bill, which is being circulated in my name. There is agreement on all sides of the House on this matter and it would be a good idea to initiate discussion in this House. I would like to ask the Leader if it would be possible to find some time in the very near future to discuss the extraordinary proposition to sell local authority mortgages to lending agencies as a means of funding the long outstanding social welfare equality payments. There is a principle involved, I am sure the Leader will agree, that should be discussed in one or other of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Finally, I agree with Senator Dardis. It would be timely for us to have a discussion on the whole issue of the fluctuations in our currency and in particular the evident confusion which seems to exist at a very high level in this matter. It would be a good idea to have a debate in order that we could track the thing out, so to speak.
I wish to ask the Leader, following this morning's report in the Cork Examiner on the report by the British Medicines Control Agency on the conditions in Pelican House, if we could have a discussion in this House as a matter of urgency and if the Minister for Health would make a full statement on the report. It is outrageous, if what is stated in the paper is true, that such conditions exist.
The Minister for Health has had the report of the expert committee on hepatitis C for the past six weeks and we still have not heard any of its recommendations. It is a matter of urgency, particularly for the women who have been contaminated with hepatitis C by the anti-D vaccine. I ask him to arrange a debate on this matter.
I ask, in addition to Senator O'Toole, that we should have some sort of a structured debate on foreign policy on a regular basis. This is very important in view of the day of the long knives that happened last week when so many of our ambassadors were shifted, willy-nilly it appeared, all over the place and three new embassies were opened. The Houses of the Oireachtas should know why these people were shifted, why there are so many changes and why certain countries are picked to have new embassies when many other places are crying out for them.
A question for the Leader, please.
I am asking with Senator O'Toole that we should have a continuum of structured debate here on foreign policy, which is becoming more and more important, whether it be in the field of human development, development aid, our involvement in the military field in terms of peace keeping or in whatever area. It is an increasingly important area and we should have formal structured debates every two months.
I ask the Leader if it would be possible to have a debate on communications and broadcasting. We have seen leaked proposals in the paper over the weekend in relation to the whole broadcast media and it would be an ideal opportunity for us to have a discussion.
I am sure all sides of the House would like to join in congratulating Steve Collins on his great performance and for bringing great honour to this country last Saturday night. It is great for Cabra. for Dublin and for Ireland. It is a terrific time to be Irish all over the world.
I join with Senator Dardis in his request for an urgent debate on the currency crisis. Exporters are extremely worried and there is a definite need for an urgent debate.
This may be a little unusual, but I ask the Leader of the House not to have a debate on the currency situation. I have asked for such a debate in the past because it is better to have a debate when tensions are not high. This is the wrong time to discuss currency and perhaps the less said, the better. I hope we find another time to debate the currency situation and its long term implications.
You have found a new friend.
An old friend. I agree with Senator Wright's observation that Bills can be improved on Committee Stage. The Seanad is in a unique position, perhaps not always a welcome one. in being able to have its way on Committee Stage of Bills. Senator Wright's comments were prudent.
He presumes that will be next week.
Senator O'Toole raised the important question of foreign affairs. I am conscious that we do not want to duplicate work being done by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Joint Committee on European Affairs. Nevertheless, there is a need for a forum, as a number of Members pointed out. Perhaps we could call together ten Members of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and four Members of the Joint Committee on European Affairs to see if we could establish a link between this House and the two committees. Perhaps, as Senator Lanigan suggested, we could arrange for a structured debate to take place in this House once every four, six or eight weeks so that Members of these committees could report on what is happening. However, we do not want to set ourselves up as a poor man's foreign affairs committee while the work will be done elsewhere. We do not want to duplicate work, but we want to have a forum. I will ask the rapporteur of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Norris, to call together the ten and four Members, respectively, to see if we can make progress on this matter.
Senator Dardis mentioned the business today and I am glad he has an open mind on that issue. I agree with Senator Quinn on the currency situation. We are long overdue a major debate on the economy and I will try to arrange one as soon as possible. However, a debate on the currency crisis would probably not help at present.
I have read Senator Roche's Freedom of Information Bill, 1995, which seems to be a useful contribution. I suggest that he could begin this Bill in Private Members' Time, but I will make time available for a discussion on it.
As regards Senator Honan's point, I am afraid The Cork Examiner was sold out in Ballsbridge this morning, so I am not familiar with the report she mentioned. However, I will make inquiries and contact the Senator before the end of the day.
Senator Lanigan made the point about foreign affairs and Senator Cassidy about broadcasting. There is a Green Paper due shortly and I will ask the Minister to come in to address those issues.
Order of Business agreed to.