Today's business is item 1 and I thank the Opposition for agreeing to take all Stages. There will be a lengthy adjournment of up to an hour after Second Stage before the remaining Stages of the Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges and Immunities of Witnesses) Bill are concluded.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreed. Regarding business for the rest of the week, Members on all sides are anxious that the Adoption (No. 2) Bill is taken this week. Will the Leader make time available during the next couple of weeks that I understand the House will be sitting for item 33, motion 25? Several Members are also concerned about the delay in debating the safety at sea report. Will the Minister come to the House before the end of the session for a debate on this matter? He initiated it and felt it should be implemented.
The Order of Business is agreed. Is there any possibility that the Geneva Conventions Bill will be taken before the end of the session? The aspects relating to chemical and nuclear warfare do not concern us to a great extent but the ratification of the conventions has been due since the 1970s. Part of the conventions relates to the movement of human population as a method of warfare. This is taking place in Africa at present and has taken place in Bosnia recently. Irish agencies are working in these areas and perhaps the Leader could outline whether the Bill will be taken soon.
The Order of Business is agreed. I support Senator Wright's comments regarding the Adoption (No. 2) Bill. Will it be taken in the near future? Many Members have received correspondence from interested parties about it and we are anxious to ensure that the Bill is passed. What progress has been made on the contact register for adopted children and birth mothers? The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Currie, has responsibility for this area. Has any progress been made as Members are constantly lobbied on this issue?
There must be dozens of causes which have no chance of being taken up in view of the fever which has gripped politics all over the State. However, I wish to mention the cause of adult literacy education and although I am sure the Minister for Education has been contacted, I want her to note that this issue has also been raised in the House. The pathetic budget for adult literacy and community education budget is £1.9 million. It is inadequate. They want the second level examination fees for second chance education students waived and they would like suitable premises for the delivery of adult and community education. This is a cause for which I have worked for years in Northern Ireland and I have seen the results. We are talking about the casualties of the hedonistic sixties when teaching was at its lowest level of proficiency. I do not suppose there is much chance of getting anything for this cause at present, but I ask the Leader to inform the Minister for Education that the matter has been raised in this House.
I understand that Second Stage of the Shannon River Council Bill will be taken tomorrow. An hour has been set aside which I believe will be adequate but if a further 20 minutes are needed to complete Second Stage, I ask that it be provided.
As regards the statement attributed to the Leader over the weekend regarding the position of my party and the SDLP on all-party talks, the Leader is quoted as saying "it is a pity that we could not maintain all-party support here for the SDLP in this last week of their general election campaign". On what basis did the Leader make that statement? If he consulted with the SDLP and its Leader, John Hume, and Deputy Leader, Seamus Mallon, he would find there is no doubt in their minds about our continuing support and commitment for their role in the peace process. Neither should there be any doubt about Fianna Fáil support for the Government regarding its role in the peace process. However, I hope the Leader understands that support for Government does not demand an uncritical approach to its activity or inactivity, which has been the basis of Fianna Fáil's comments.
I hope we will not create unnecessary division regarding our principles where previously there has been consensus. Nobody should not be deprived of the opportunity to make critical comments, particularly our party which has been so involved in building the peace process which we all want restored.
I support Senator McAughtry's call for more funding for the adult literacy and community education budgets. I am very familiar with this issue as I am an adult education organiser. It is an area which has been neglected over the years because of underfunding and under-resourcing. Marvellous work has been done with the limited resources available. I hope the Minister and the future Administration, which I am sure will be a continuation of the present one, will ensure a big increase in the allocation of funds for this area.
In the context of resource and remedial teachers — I understand an announcement will be made in the coming week — I ask the Leader to ensure that an adequate number of such teachers will be provided for the Headford and Caherlistrane area of Galway. I know this matter is more appropriate to the Adjournment but I ask the Leader to make a case for this area which is under-resourced. I am part of the ongoing campaign on this issue and I hope the Minister will respond positively.
I wish to raise a problem with which I have difficulty finding advice or help. We have a complete postal breakdown in rural Ireland, and certainly in Donegal. A letter posted on 19 April at the central post office in Lifford reached Dublin on 23 April. Small business people in rural areas have to survive with this type of postal service and a telephone service with local calls at least four times the price charged in other areas. It is time we looked at this antiquated service. When we had no technology, postmen went around on bicycles and the post was sent by steam train, letters reached Dublin in a day. A horse and cart could deliver letters more quickly than the present disastrous system. I ask the Leader for advice and assistance because there is no Minister responsible.
Senator, I think the matter you raise would be best referred to An Post.
I will take your advice, a Chathaoirligh, and I appreciate the sincerity with which it is given but I do not know a responsible person in An Post who will take me, or anyone else, seriously. I hope the Leader can provide information — if he tells me who to contact I will be happy.
I support Senator McAughtry and Senator McDonagh. Adult literacy work is done by vocational education committees with travellers and in prisons. I have suggested previously that there should be an adult literacy television programme — Teilifís na Gaelige may be the proper vehicle. Many people do not respond to appeals to attend adult literacy classes, even on a one to one basis, because they are too ashamed. However they may become involved in the learning process through television in the privacy of their homes. It would be worthwhile to debate the matter.
The House should not let pass the arrival of the worst aspects of Fleet Street last Sunday. People who are elected or nominated are fair game and should be treated as such but their wives and families have no input into this system. What happened was an absolute disgrace. We are tough with each other and the public will not be left unaware of anything we do but when families are affected, someone must draw a line. The sooner we have a press council the better.
A Chathaoirligh, I agree to a certain extent with your answer to Senator McGowan. However, this week's business was sent to me last week but I have not got it yet, so perhaps we should make this the business of the House. All material is normally posted on a Thursday or, at the latest, a Friday. I was at home yesterday but I did not receive any post — even the Order of Business sent from my own office had not reached my home. The notification from the Seanad Office that we were sitting today had not reached me. When I go home at the weekend I will have a pile of useless information on everything which happened this week. I do not know whether I should address this point to the Leader or to you, A Chathaoirligh, or whether other Senators have the same problem. This is not a political issue, it is a matter of business. To expand the point, it is galling to send notification of a cumann meeting and to find, when at home at the weekend, that no one has received it. This is not good enough and I ask the Leader to raise the matter. There has been a breakdown at some point and I have plenty of proof of it.
I support Senators' remarks on An Post. I do not know whether it affects letters from the Seanad Office or the Oireachtas as whole. I have complained on at least three occasions on the delay in material posted here reaching my constituency and my home but I received little information. I was told I should log everything to prove what I said. I am pleased to support Senator Fitzgerald and others who raise this issue because I have been raising it with An Post for almost 12 months but to no avail.
Senator Wright and others raised the Adoption (No. 2) Bill. I hope and expect that Bill can be taken at 8 p.m. tomorrow but I will consult with the Opposition to confirm that. Senator Wright also asked for time to be made available to debate the motion tabled by Senator Ormonde and others. We will take the Finance Bill for two days next week and a great deal of other business. However, I told Senator Ormonde I would make time available for that motion. I suggest that, rather than taking the motion, we might make an hour available for statements on that subject in the presence of the Minister. I know from what Senator Ormonde has said that that would meet her requirements on the matter. The Minister for the Marine will be the House before the end of the session and he will deal with the issue then.
Senator Henry raised the question of chemical weapons. The Chemical Weapons Bill will be taken in this House between now and the end of the session which will provide an opportunity for her to raise those issues. Senator Honan raised the question of the Adoption (No. 2) Bill, with which I have dealt.
Senator McAughtry raised the question of adult learning and distance learning. Many of us feel very strongly about that issue because we see the great work which is done, especially for people who did not have the advantage of a formal education in earlier life and who want to catch up. If there is time, a short series of statements on that matter to the Minister would be worthwhile.
Senator O'Kennedy raised two issues. The Second Stage of the Shannon River Council Bill will be completed. If that takes a little longer than anticipated, then so be it. He also raised the question of my comments on the SDLP. I had the honour of working with senior members of his party last Saturday in Newry. I do not think anybody has ever had any doubts about Fianna Fáil's total support for the SDLP or the good relations between the two parties.
Senator McDonagh raised questions on adult literacy and remedial teachers. I will pass those queries on to the Minister.
Senator McGowan raised a very important point about postal facilities. There are two possibilities open to us: first, the matter can be referred to the Joint Committee on Commercial State-sponsored Bodies. However, there is another device open to us in the short term, which is to use the procedure of statements on matters of concern at the close of business. If between three and five Members spoke briefly on the issue of An Post, I would ensure that the points raised were on the desks of the chairman and chief executive of An Post by the next morning. That would, at least, ensure the point was made. I suggest the Senator and others use that device tomorrow.
Senator Magner raised the question of journalistic standards. There is something nauseating about the spectacle of newspapers condemning in their editorial columns what they call tabloid and sleaze practices while devoting column inches on their front pages to copious coverage of the same issues. Either it is wrong and improper to journalistic standards or it is not, but please spare us hypocrisy on the matter.
Order of Business agreed to.