Today's business is item 1, Second Stage. Each speaker will have no more than 30 minutes, there will be a sos from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. and the debate will continue today until Second Stage is completed. In response to requests yesterday from both sides of the House, a debate on Northern Ireland will take place next Wednesday, our next sitting day.
Order of Business.
Today's Order of Business is agreed and I thank the Leader for responding to our request for a debate on Northern Ireland. As we begin a new session, I ask the Leader to forward to us the legislative programme for the next few months.
I welcome the Leader's commitment to have a debate on Northern Ireland next week. It is crucially important and we appreciate the opportunity to become involved in the debate.
This morning's newspapers report that the Government has decided not to proceed with voting rights for emigrants. As one of only six out of over 220 elected public representatives who is elected regularly by emigrant votes, I regret that the Government has walked away from any movement in this direction. We should give serious consideration to how emigrants can be represented in a way which does not threaten the democratic process and which gives them a voice and recognition. It is not beyond the bounds of human ingenuity and it is a pity the Cabinet has decided to defer the issue rather than address it. We need to hear the basis for the Government's decision before being overly critical of it.
I welcome the Government decision to abandon what I always considered a hare-brained idea, the move to give three seats in this House to emigrants. If emigrants who are citizens cannot vote in general elections just like other citizens, there is something wrong. Many countries allow their emigrants to vote in elections and that is the way the Government should proceed.
My other matter was also raised by the leader of the Fianna Fáil group, Senator Wright. Apart from circulating the list of future legislation, perhaps the Leader could indicate what we might expect between now and Christmas. I welcome the allocation of time next week to debate Northern Ireland. May we expect the motion on the hepatitis C tribunal next week also?
I hope the terms of reference of the hepatitis C tribunal, when they come before us, will ensure that all people who are asked to attend will be obliged to produce the papers and documents in their possession. That was not the case in the last tribunal; those who called for it, notably the Tánaiste and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, declined to produce papers. I hope we have learned from that experience.
Commissioner Wulf-Mathies appealed to the Parliament to restore the full amount of money to the Northern Ireland replenishment programme which the budget committee apparently proposed should be reduced. Will the Leader ask the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste to instruct their Members of the European Parliament to support Commissioner Wulf-Mathies' request? This matter is of vital importance.
In common with Senator O'Toole, I seek clarification of the Government's intentions in relation to representation of and voting rights for emigrants. The outcome of the debate in the House on the Minister for the Environment's proposals was generally negative. I am not sure the manner in which the Government intended to proceed was the best way forward but the Minister should indicate the alternatives he has in mind. The issue should not be shelved and decisive proposals on how to deal with the matter are important.
Will the Leader seek an indication of the Government's intentions in relation to the case against Sellafield? Over the years there has been much discussion on this issue which resurfaces from time to time. However, the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications, Deputy Stagg, indicated yesterday that the Government intends to take legal action against the Sellafield authorities. Will the Leader seek clarification on how the Government intends to proceed?
What action has the Government taken on the recent oil spillage in Dublin Bay? According to media reports today, the Department of the Marine is not capable——
I am sure the Senator can find another way of raising that matter.
The matter was raised during the debate on the Bill relating to the control of oil pollution. The point was made that unless certain resources were provided the Department would not be in a position to deal with such problems. The prediction made during the debate has come true.
It is not a matter for today's Order of Business.
Will the Leader seek clarification from the Department of the Marine or the Minister on what it intends to do about this problem? It is serious and will reoccur.
When will a comprehensive debate on foreign affairs be held in the House? Members sought this discussion during the last session but a debate now is timely given recent events in the Middle East and the intransigence of the Israeli Government in terms of the peace accord signed by the previous Israeli Government and the Palestinians. The debate should also cover the position in Africa and the lack of comprehension in the IMF and the World Bank at what is happening in the poorest countries in the world, including Angola and Mozambique where civil wars took place but many problems were caused by external matters. Will the Leader arrange an early debate on the Middle East and the Third World?
Will the Leader invite the Minister for Justice to the House to discuss ways to control groups of people who move caravans into small towns and villages at will and intimidate shopkeepers and local people, particularly women and the elderly? The debate should also cover what steps can be taken to control the unacceptable behaviour of many new age travellers who have moved into west Cork.
I support Senator Lanigan's call for a debate on the Middle East. I understand a debate on the White Paper on foreign policy could be resumed and perhaps this matter could be included in that discussion. However, if that is not possible, a debate on the Middle East is important given the serious problems there.
Will the Leader seek clarification on another matter which I raised in the House a number of months ago but to which I did not receive a satisfactory response? I do not blame the Leader but I also raised it with the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, as did Senator Lanigan. The issue is the cessation of the publication of the reports of meetings of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. It is extraordinary that the proceedings of an important committee dealing with the country's foreign affairs are not available, apparently as a result of stinginess and lack of funds. It is an insult to both Houses of the Oireachtas that this is allowed to continue. I ask the Leader to make strong representations to the Government if the matter has not yet been rectified.
Regarding the legislative programme this session, which I will circulate to Members, the House will take the following Bills in the near future: the Health (Amendment) Bill, the Cultural Institutions Bill, which is a major Seanad Bill, the legislation relating to bail and the Control of Horses Bill. The House will also take the Universities Bill when its passage is complete in the other House, the European Parliament Elections Bill, the Employment Equality Bill, the Central Bank Bill, the Adoption Bill and the Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Bill, which involves some of the recommendations contained in Senator Henry's earlier Bill.
Other Bills which will come before the House include the Criminal Law Bill, the telecommunications Bill and the Credit Union Bill. This may not reach the Seanad before the end of this session but it should be published by then. The House will also take the Registration of Births Bill, the legislation relating to aquaculture, which I hope will be a Seanad Bill, and the Freedom of Information Bill, which will be a Seanad Bill. It is hoped that the Europol Bill will be taken before the end of the session.
At present, much legislation is waiting to clear Report and Final Stages in the other House. However, given the bail debate, the emergency debate on Northern Ireland and the need to establish a tribunal in relation to hepatitis C, the schedule in the Lower House is behind and to an extent legislation has been delayed. However, the Seanad will have a full menu of legislation between now and the end of the session. The House will take other Bills in addition to those I mentioned.
Senator O'Toole raised the issue of voting rights for emigrants. I understand the measure is being deferred because there is no agreement regarding what should be done. I doubt if the Senator agrees with the suggestion of the select committee that the six University seats should be abolished——
No.
——to make way for emigrants' representation. He may take a broad view of the matter.
We are prepared to examine it. Does it come with a cheque or is there a redundancy payment?
Do I take it that is the considered view of the Independent Senators? Is their starting position that they are prepared to accept the abolition of their seats?
There was a proviso.
Senator Manning without interruption.
The emigrant groups were unhappy with the proposals. Senator Dardis has a different view and, as Senator Daly said earlier, there was little agreement in the House about what should be done. If there is to be a constitutional referendum, there should be a broad measure of consensus. This is why the matter has been deferred. It has not been axed but deferred.
I said it should be addressed and not deferred.
This Government will probably not last much beyond October next year.
Fair play to the Leader. He is not giving much away.
There is a limit to the amount of constitutional change which can be taken on board during that time.
A Seanad campaign in December? No way.
Senator Dardis asked about the motion on hepatitis C and the tribunal. This will either be taken next Wednesday or at the start of business the following week. I am not sure exactly when it will be debated but it will be soon. Senator O'Kennedy raised a point which I am sure he will have a chance to make strongly during the debate. The terms of reference should be hammered out in the Oireachtas.
I will convey Senator O'Kennedy's views on MEPs to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. Many of us have felt for a very long time that there no national forum for our MEPs where they can be accountable for what is happening to a certain extent and convey their points of view. An audience in this House is being offered to them for that purpose.
Senator Daly made a number of points. I have dealt with votes for emigrants. I will seek urgent clarification from the Minister of State regarding Sellafield. He also raised the oil spillage. This is worrying. Very probably in this case it is a rogue tanker which emptied its tanks at sea. This is likely to be a bigger problem in the years to come.
Senator Lanigan asked for a debate on foreign affairs. I am not in favour of broad debates on this issue. I am open to suggestions for debates on specific aspects of foreign affairs such as we had in the past on East Timor. I will certainly talk to the Senator if he frames a specific foreign affairs motion and I will try to get it on the Order Paper.
The Middle East.
I will convey Senator Calnan's views to the Minister although I suspect that he could probably raise that matter on an Adjournment debate. Senator Norris raised the non-publication of reports. I understand from Senator Magner that issue has been raised at the liaison committee. A meeting has been arranged with the Minister for Finance to ensure that these reports are published.
Order of Business agreed to.