Today's Order of Business is item 1 and item 13, motion 18. For item 1, Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, contributions of spokespersons should not exceed 20 minutes with 15 minutes for other Senators. Senators may share time. Item 13, motion 18, will be taken at 6 p.m. I suggest that, notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 42, the time for debating this motion be extended to four hours, namely, two hours tonight and two hours next Wednesday night. Business will be interrupted from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Order of Business.
We agree to the Order of Business and thank the Leader for providing an extra two hours to debate motion 18. I ask the Leader to provide time for a debate on the sale of State assets. The public are demanding a debate in the House on ICC, ACC and TSB. The staffs of these institutions are in limbo as they do not know what is happening.
We agree to the Order of Business. In thanking the Leader for extending the time for the debate on motion 18, the House should recognise that the additional two hours are of Government Private Members' time from next week. Therefore, the rota of time for different groups is not changed.
The Leader gave me a clear undertaking before the recess that the issue of industrial relations, which has been raised on a number of occasions in the House, would be dealt with by means of an extensive debate sometime in April. I ask the Leader to outline the arrangements for a debate as there is increasing demand for it in the context of the direction of Partnership 2000 — a huge issue — and what might replace it, the Ryanair dispute and union recognition, the report on a minimum wage and the action being taken by the Garda. There are a variety of issues which need to be discussed and we need an opportunity to hear the views of Government and express our own views.
Yesterday the leader of Fine Gael, Senator Manning, raised the Shannon Council Bill, something I have also raised. I know this issue is close to the Cathaoirleach's heart and that the Leader of the House, who may be somewhat embarrassed by the Government's position, is committed to the legislation. The Leader should clear the air and establish the position of the Government parties vis-à-vis their position a year ago. I want a clear indication from the Leader as to which Minister will deal with this issue and when it will be dealt with.
I agree with the Order of Business and am glad the Leader has tabled Second Stage of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Bill, 1998, as promised and that it is being initially taken in this House. I also support the extension of the debate on local government as everybody will wish to contribute.
Is it possible for the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come before the House later today or tomorrow even for a short debate on the efforts being made to resolve the GRA dispute and, perhaps more urgently, the contingency measures being put in place to deal with what could be a major disruption if the threatened action by the gardaí takes place on Friday? In the other House the Minister seemed to deprecate the efforts being made by a Member of this House on behalf of the gardaí, saying it was wrong to state that a Senator could speak for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Perhaps the Minister will come before the House to allay fears among the public over the security situation which might arise on Friday if the action goes ahead.
I welcome the opportunity being provided to discuss the problem of travellers. There is a problem akin to this concerning traders and I am not sure whether the time can be extended to include discussion of them. This problem is similar in nature to the problems of travellers as traders set up anywhere in the country and demand local authorities to provide hard stands or trading sites, the principal case being put forward by travellers. The local authority of which I am a member has spent £500,000 providing a car park and environmental improvements, but a trader has set up in the middle of it — I will pass a photograph to the Leader which will help him understand the seriousness of the problem. Will the Leader clarify the possibility of extending the debate to include casual traders or, alternatively, facilitate a separate debate on the issue? It is an urgent matter as casual trading is big business——
The Senator may not discuss the matter.
I appreciate that, but is it difficult for me to put the merit of my case without infringing in this manner, and I am sorry for doing so. I want clarification from the Leader to see if both issues can be debated together or whether he will provide time on another occasion to discuss casual trading.
Independent Senators have tabled a motion concerning Luas. I raised this matter yesterday and got a general indication from the Leader that the issue would be debated. Will the Leader advance this indication by providing a timetable for a debate? I understand the consultants' report has been made available. Very wisely, the Cabinet has delayed making a decision for one week. Is it possible to have a debate in the House during that period, as it is important debates take place before rather than after decisions have been taken? Reasoned argument in this House could help influence Cabinet decisions. Almost every criteria evaluated resulted in favouring the underground option, but the report recommended the overground option, apparently on some economic basis.
Will the Leader ask the Minister with responsibility for sport to take an active interest in the case of Michelle Smith, particularly in light of the fact that the officials of her sport appear to have a malign attitude towards her? They compelled her to attend drug testing procedures at the international meeting in Spain last summer and then criticised her for not attending a press conference having frustrated her attendance. It is impossible to understand how somebody in that position can win. I ask the Minister to keep a close eye on the situation.
I have asked the Leader to facilitate a debate on future funding for disadvantaged areas in the context of continuing Objective One status and I believe he will give consideration to such a debate. I am sure the House will welcome the announcement by the EU Commission that it intends recognising the significance of the Good Friday Agreement by continuing funding, on an increased basis, for the Border counties, both North and South.
I am sure the House unreservedly condemns the callous and vicious killing of the 20 year old student in Crumlin earlier this week. In the context of the ongoing peace process and the call for a debate, the Nationalist community in the North has been lectured by successive Unionist politicians over the past 30 years to contact the RUC to reveal the names of those, allegedly within their community, who have been carrying out murders. Over the past 12 months the vast majority of those killed have come from the Catholic community. I suggest Unionist politicians should now be encouraging those in their community to contact the police. The people involved are known. No guerrilla army can operate successfully without at least——
I cannot allow Senator Mooney to discuss this matter any further. I have given him much latitude.
It is time that Unionist politicians called on their community to flush out these vicious killers, these sectarian gangs, because it is no longer acceptable——
The Senator has made his point.
——in a civilised society that this can go on. I hope that an opportunity will arise in the context of the debate on the ongoing benefits of the peace Agreement to raise this matter again.
I join Senator Gallagher in urging the greater involvement of the Minister for Justice and Law Reform in resolving the ongoing dispute with the GRA, whose members have been loyal servants of the State down the years. Thankfully, many of them disagree with the "blue flu" idea. We should not be putting them in this position for want of meaningful discussions. I earnestly plead with the Leader for the deeper involvement of the Minister for Justice and Law Reform.
Senator Burke called again for a debate on the State-sponsored bodies, the ICC, the TSB and the ACC. I have agreed to this debate and hope to have it at the earliest possible opportunity, maybe within the next two or three weeks.
I can confirm to Senator O'Toole that next week's Private Members' time is in the name of the Fianna Fáil Party so the Independents need not worry.
We are concerned.
We are looking after our electorate as the Independents always have done.
On the Senator's call for a debate on industrial relations, I have agreed to have this debate. If we cannot make time available for it next week, we will have it the following week.
On his query about the Shannon River Council Bill, I passed on his request on the Order of Business yesterday to the Minister's office. I hope to be able to inform the House of the up to date position tomorrow morning.
On the requests of Senator Gallagher and Senator Coghlan for the Minister for Justice and Law Reform to attend the House for Statements on the GRA dispute, I will contact the Minister's office after the Order of Business and see how we can facilitate the Senators' requests.
On Senator McGowan's point about travelling traders, there is an ideal opportunity for the Senator to make his point on the Travellers' Bill when the Minister is in the House today. I am sure the Chair will bear in mind the senior position which the Senator holds in this House and facilitate him.
Senator Norris requested a debate on Luas. I spoke to the Minister yesterday evening. Following the request here yesterday morning for the report to be published, I am sure the Senators are pleased that they all received copies of it yesterday evening. I thank the Minister for that. I asked the Minister to make time available to discuss the matter here this week if possible before the matter goes back to the Cabinet next week. I will inform the House in the morning of the progress there.
On Senator Norris's points regarding the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy McDaid, I am sure the Minister has been following closely what is happening to Ms Michelle Smith. Ms Smith has brought this country tremendous honour. Not in our wildest dreams did we ever think we would have an athlete who would win three gold medals and another medal at the Olympic Games. People throughout the country are in total support of Ms Smith in her efforts to bring further honour to the country. I concur with the sentiments of Senator Norris.
On Senator Mooney's call for a debate on increased funding for Border counties and for the retention by many regions of Objective One status, I have agreed to a debate on this at the earliest possible opportunity.
Order of Business agreed to.