Notwithstanding the fact that we debated the White Paper on Foreign Policy, the Intergovernmental Conference and the Presidency of the EU are approaching later this year. This House should debate the serious probability that European Monetary Union will proceed without the involvement of the UK, Ireland's largest trading partner. Such a development could have serious consequences for this country and it would be appropriate that we have a debate on that issue. Will the Leader confirm that, when the negotiations take place at the Intergovernmental Conference, there will be no reneging on the Irish right to hold automatic membership at the European Commission? There is a movement toward a two-speed, two-tier Europe and I hope Ireland will not be left behind.
Order of Business (Resumed).
I ask the Leader to convey my concern about a republican prisoner, Pairic Mac Floinn, who is being held at a British prison and is suffering from Crone's disease. Mr. Mac Floinn is seriously ill and is not receiving proper treatment. I have already communicated with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and I now inform the Leader of the House about this man's condition. It is important that this matter be raised immediately with the British Home Office.
I support requests for a debate on Northern Ireland. If such a debate does not take place in the near future, I ask the Leader and other Members to support a call to Sinn Féin and the IRA to declare a further cease-fire. Such an action would facilitate their participation in the debate on 10 June. It is important that the unanimous voice of this House be conveyed to Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA. These organisations must be informed that the people of Ireland, North and South, have suffered serious deprivation in the past 25 years and that the opportunity for a cessation of violence is very important to the commercial life and survival of the community. I ask that there be a debate on this issue in the near future. A clear message must be sent to the leaders of Sinn Féin and the Provisional IRA that no one in Ireland will thank them for being difficult at this time. I welcome and support the Taoiseach's statement. I am glad he took the advice of the Leader of Fianna Fáil on this matter. The Taoiseach is now on track and we give him 100 per cent support. We must be positive.
I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Jim Higgins, the need for detailed information from the 1996 census to be given to those who need it most as soon as possible. It came as a big surprise to members of Limerick County Council when the planning officer informed us that some details of the 1991 census only became available some months ago. A five year wait for such detailed information is too long.
There is also concern about the small but significant number of illiterate people in my constituency who are finding it difficult to fill out the form. Their needs should receive special consideration because the threat of a £1,000 fine is overwhelming for many of them who are very poor.
I support Senator Kelly. A number of people have asked me to fill in their census forms and many people have lost their forms because their children took them. These people are afraid they will face a £1,000 fine. A person must be highly literate and highly motivated to fill in the census form. The census system should be changed to ensure that forms are filled in. This will cost a large amount of money but the current system of handing out forms must be altered. The enumerators leave the forms and tell people they will be fined £1,000 if they do not fill them in. This is a disgrace; Senator Kelly made a valid point.
We are not discussing the matter today. The Senator has made his point.
Will the Minister in charge of the census investigate how best to deal with this matter in the future? The current system does not work.
The staff is normally helpful; in the past the enumerators were particularly helpful.
Senator Lanigan without interruption.
We must get the legal view.
The Senator is a solicitor and the rules suggest the form must be filled in on the date nominated for the census. There is not an enumerator for every house and the position cannot be legalised.
The Senator has made his point.
Will the Leader of the House pass on to the Leader of the Palestine National Council, President Arafat, the congratulations of the House on the change in the Palestinian charter? This move, which was passed by 504 to 54 votes, removes the reference in the charter that Israel should not be recognised as a country. I also ask the Leader to request the European Union and the United Nations to follow the example set in trying to secure a peaceful solution to the situation in that area. Rather than blowing hot and cold on this matter, the Minister for Foreign Affairs should continue to ensure peace in that region.
The Senator has made his point.
The report of the Mountjoy Jail Visiting Committee was issued this morning.
That matter was already raised.
The Leader mentioned it. The report should be debated immediately in the House. No previous report of a visiting committee——
Is the Senator supporting the remarks made by other Members?
Yes. As a matter of urgency, will the Leader ensure the report is discussed in the House at the earliest possible date?
I endorse the call for a debate on Northern Ireland. It is important the House displays solidarity by supporting the even handed, open minded and highly respected role played by the Taoiseach. We should not forget that when the President of the United States of America was a short distance from the gates of Leinster House, he asked the people to back the Taoiseach.
I support Senator Byrne and Senator Kiely's comments on the cattle crisis. The Government's neglect in supporting the cattle industry is horrific. I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry our concern about this matter. Farmers are losing a lot of money and they cannot continue to do so.
We are not debating this matter now. I take it you are supporting the sentiments expressed by other speakers.
I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister for Finance my concern with the CPSU go slow and the trouble it is causing for farmers.
That matter is being raised on the Adjournment this evening; we are not discussing it now.
Would the Leader of the House agree that it is almost an abuse of the House for Members to instil fear into people about a £1,000 fine if they do not fill in their census forms? Everybody knows that is absolute nonsense. If a form is incomplete because a person does not understand it——
Fill in the form——
There is a contradiction between the avowed belief of Fianna Fáil that——
Did the Senator read the form?
——we have the most highly educated population in Europe and at the same time saying we are collectively too stupid to fill out a form and need special assistance to do so. It is nonsense.
This is simplistic Labour Party rubbish.
People who are unable to fill in the form, as Senator Enright said, will be helped by the enumerators. We are among the most educated people in Europe.
Senator Kelly, Senator Lanigan and Senator Magner raised a number of points about the 1996 census.
I did not raise a point; I refused one.
Will the Leader of the House make time available for a debate on the conducting of the census? Most Senators will have been approached by constituents or members of the public about various aspects of it. An appropriate time to have such a debate would be when those matters are fresh in Senators' minds. The appropriateness of having the census carried out on a Sunday night was widely raised in the west. Many young people who are either attending college in Dublin or working away from home go back there on a Sunday night and this would give a distorted picture of the population in the west. Many people feel it would be more appropriate to have it carried out on a Friday or Saturday night.
Or a Wednesday night.
These matters could make for an interesting debate and might provide assistance to whoever organises the next census in the next millennium.
A number of issues raised by the Leader of the Opposition were covered by other Members, so I will not refer to each person raising them. A debate in this House now would not be of great help to workers of Packard Electric. However, the message sent by all sides of the House is one of great sympathy to the people concerned, annoyance and disgust at the manner in which the announcement was made, a strong sense of support for the task force and a strong sense that the company involved has a serious social obligation to help to make good some of the damage done. I think I am speaking on behalf of all the House in making these points strongly.
The Leader of the Opposition also raised the report of the visiting committee to Mountjoy Prison. It is important that we place on record the thanks owned by the public to these various visiting committees who, unpaid, carry out work of great public importance. I have not yet seen this report. However, it will be taken seriously and if time can be found to debate it in the near future, it will be made available.
Senator O'Toole and others raised the question of committees. It is not appropriate to the Order of Business but I am concerned about the proliferation of committees. It is important to assert that the plenary session of either House must take precedence over any committee meeting.
Senator Dardis and others raised the question of Northern Ireland. Next week we have the Finance Bill which will take up most of our time but I am favourably disposed to an early debate on Northern Ireland. I commend Senator McGowan for the support he expressed for the Government and his emphasis on the importance of a united approach in the weeks ahead. Words are very important; they can cause problems which need not be there. A period of silence might be no harm. I will try to organise a debate on Northern Ireland.
Senator Kiely and others raised the problems caused by the CPSU strike. They are very serious problems and we are aware of that. They will be discussed tonight on the Adjournment and I am sure they will be raised again in the near future. Senator Finneran raised the problems in nursing homes. I will convey his remarks to the Minister this evening. Senator Norris raised the question of deserted husbands. I do not have any plans for an immediate debate on that but I know the issue is of concern to the Minister for Equality and Law Reform and it may be that he would like to address the issue. If so, I will offer him the opportunity to do so.
Other Senators raised the question of Tallaght. Senator Rory Kiely raised the issue of agriculture. I do not think he expected me to attack the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry last week. I was totally sincere in what I had to say about him and about the good job he is doing in very difficult circumstances. Senator Kiely also raised the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body. It is wrong that a major event of this nature took place in the Senator's constituency and he was not invited. I will convey that to the organisers. If he had been in the same good form at the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body last night as he was on the Order of Business this afternoon, his absence was their loss. It is appropriate that I make that point.
Do not do so on my behalf, but on behalf of the House.
That is what I meant.
The question of a debate on the employment report was raised. I will see whether that can be done. We have a very busy schedule over the coming weeks, in spite of what was said here last week. Senator Mulcahy raised the issue of the Intergovernmental Conference, which we discussed at some length with former Senator Jim Dooge here recently. In particular we emphasised that there must be an Irish Commissioner in any revised arrangements. The Senator also asked whether this House, and I in particular, could do something about getting Britain to join the European Monetary Union. I am not sure; I will do my best but I am not sure this House is the appropriate forum. I suspect that the House of Commons might be more effective.
The Senator has great faith in you.
Thank you, Senator. I commend Senator McGowan for the call he made. Senator Belton made a very eloquent plea for the way ahead on Northern Ireland. I will not get involved in a difference of opinion between Senator Magner, Senator Kelly and Senator Lanigan on the nature of the census form. Senator Mullooly talked great sense about that; we might have a discussion on it at a later date.
The rest of us did not make sense.