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Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Apr 1997

Vol. 151 No. 3

Order of Business.

Today's business is items 1, 2 and 30; motion No. 25. Item 1 concerns the Committee and Final Stages of the Credit Union Bill and is due to conclude at 1 p.m. We are all anxious to see this Bill enacted as soon as possible and I am sure Members will co-operate with this. The Irish League of Credit Unions is due to hold its annual conference this weekend. Item 2 — the Bail Bill — will be taken from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. I have ordered Second Stage but if there is agreement among the Whips I would like to take all Stages of the Bill today. The Bill is a short one and there is agreement on its general principle. Item 30 — motion No. 25 — will be taken from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and if item 2 has not concluded by 6 p.m. we will conclude it after 8 p.m.

The Order of Business is acceptable to this side of the House and we will give the Leader every possible assistance to conclude the business.

With regard to the Credit Union Bill this side of the House is fully in agreement that it should be passed as quickly as possible. The Irish League of Credit Unions has contacted us in relation to the Bill and has indicated its approval of it. The league is anxious that the Bill should proceed through the Seanad as quickly as possible. If it is satisfied with the Bill I do not see any reason for us to change it. The Bill has been thoroughly debated in the Dáil and it would be superfluous to table further amendments. That would be a repetitive and fruitless exercise.

I welcome the decision taken by the North Western Health Board to reopen the vasectomy clinic at Letterkenny General Hospital. This is a victory for civil rights and I congratulate all concerned. I would like to know whether these are the only cuts which will take place in Letterkenny General Hospital this year.

Will the Leader tell me whether I should give up any hope of having a debate in this House on the allocation of funding by the National Roads Authority? This funding is fundamental to counties such as mine which have received less than half of the funding due to them. County Donegal, the Border counties and the west of Ireland, in general, have suffered discrimination in this area. The National Roads Authority has allocated 73 per cent of its funding to the city of Dublin. This constitutes further discrimination against rural Ireland.

We are not debating the National Roads Authority on the Order of Business. There is a more appropriate manner in which to raise this matter. The Senator should put a question to the Leader.

I would like the Leader to give me an explanation on this matter. When I raised this matter on a previous occasion, the Leader said he raised the same issue when he sat on this side of the House and I thought I could expect a positive response from him. I have raised the issue 20 times in this House and I am very disappointed at the lack of response received. This issue is very important for local authorities in rural Ireland and an explanation for the National Roads Authority's neglect of rural Ireland has not been provided.

I raise the issue of terrorist attacks on road, rail and air services in Britain. I trust that no Member of the Oireachtas subscribes to the benevolent theory that, because no lives were lost, there is no cause for concern or that such tactics leave Ireland untouched. It should not be forgotten that this is a fascist tactic as it constitutes a direct attack on the edifices of the democratic system. The IRA has a tradition of this. In 1973 it threatened to murder Catholics who voted on whether they wanted to stay in Northern Ireland or become part of the Irish Republic. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to express outrage at this development as he has done before? He should do it in advance of the British general election because the indications are that the IRA intend to carry out a further fascist attack to disrupt the democratic electoral process.

I support Senator McGowan in his call for a debate on the National Roads Authority. I understand a mid-term review is due to take place in July. Everybody is aware of the bottleneck in Kinnegad which is in my constituency. A fair share has been allocated to Dublin city while rural areas such as the Border counties are in need of funding which will only last for a few more years. Although time may be running out in the context of a general election, we should have a debate on this issue. A two hour debate would suffice.

Has the Leader further news regarding a discussion on communications and the proposals flaunted by the Minister regarding the introduction of a super authority which would oversee the independent Radio and Television Commission and RTÉ Authority? There should be a debate on this issue before an election to clarify what the Minister is trying to achieve and so that our views can be heard.

The waste management legislation of 1995 was brought into force in 1996. However, sections 57 and 58 are not yet in force. They are important sections and I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister for the Environment the urgent need to enforce these sections.

I wish to raise the recent acts of vandalism in Glasnevin cemetery which we deplore and condemn. I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister for Justice the wish of the House to have the perpetrators of these acts of vandalism brought to justice.

I thank Senator Fitzgerald for his co-operation on the Business of the House. The Whips will discuss whether all Stages of the Bail Bill can be taken today.

I do not think I am expected to make a comment on Mr. Maloney's intervention. Senator McGowan made a fair point, he raised this issue before. Senator Cassidy is also reasonable in raising the allocation of funding. A short debate would suffice and I will see if time can be made available, although Members will appreciate the pressure to get legislation through.

I agree with Senator McAughtry that this new form of terrorism strikes at the heart of democracy. It is an attempt to terrorise the electorate and is the antithesis of democracy. We strenuously condemn the suffering, hardship and inconvenience to which our friends in the neighbouring island are being subjected, allegedly in the interests of this island.

Senator Cassidy raised the question of a debate on communications. If there is time I will facilitate this. We may be here longer than most of us think.

I will examine the question raised by Senator Sherlock. I am glad Senator Mullooly raised the issue of vandalism in Glasnevin cemetery. It is an appalling series of outrages and I will convey the views of the House to the Minister.

Order of Business agreed to.
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