The Order of Business is No. 1, Committee and Final Stages, and No. 2, Committee and Final Stages.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreeable. Will the Leader outline, for the benefit of Members, all relevant business it is intended to transact between now and the end of the session?
I am pleased that today Killarney became the first reception centre in the country for Kosovar refugees. As people waited in the wind and rain in Farranfore at 1.00 a.m. this morning to welcome these good people and understand the trauma which they have suffered, I could not help but think that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform was a little bit hasty in saying that Ireland should take only 1,000 refugees. I appreciate that the provision of facilities is of vital importance, but I plead with the Minister not to stick to a definitive figure of 1,000 and to remain open-minded on the matter. I hope the refugees will be in a position to return to their homeland in the near future. These people are severely traumatised but they received a traditional hearty céad míle fáilte in Kerry this morning.
I pay tribute to Ireland's star performer, Gay Byrne, as he stands on the threshold of receiving the capital city's greatest honour, the freedom of the city of Dublin. I congratulate him and wish him every success in the future.
I agree with Senator Coghlan that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform showed impeccably bad timing when receiving the refugees today by announcing that Ireland would restrict the number of refugees in the future. This country has a long tradition of being supportive of people in difficulty in second and third world countries. Obviously the Government must make proper decisions but the announcement today was inappropriate and should be corrected. The needs of refugees must be dealt with on an ongoing basis.
I ask the Leader of the House to urge the Minister to put in place proper infrastucture for refugees. We have had experience of the boat people, Bosnians and people from other countries coming here and not getting the proper support. These people need specific and specialist educational support. I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister the need to put in place services to deal with translations, cultural values, curricula, methodology, etc. for the range of refugee children who will need support.
The Leader will be aware that many different groups are now talking about the post-Partnership 2000 scenario and what will happen in terms of wages and salaries during that period. Expectations are high among ordinary workers in the public and private sectors. The Minister should come to this House and indicate where we are going in the future. It is not good enough for him to address the IMI and dismiss these expectations as outlandish or outrageous. He should put a case for and against the argument.
Will the Leader indicate when the Telecommunications Infrastructural Bill and the Educational Welfare Bill, which deals with the issue of school attendance and so on, will be taken in this House? These are important Bills in which constituents have a lot of interest. Will they be taken next week or the following week?
I agree with Senators Coghlan and O'Toole that the Kosovar refugees received a rousing welcome in Kerry. I was pleased to see this because too often we have had to raise in this House issues of racism and discrimination against people from abroad. I regret that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform announced limiting the number of refugees to 1,000 on such an occasion. He should not have taken the good out of the refugees' arrival by making the announcement. I agree that we need to put in place a proper infrastructure to deal with housing and education for refugees.
In that context, will the Leader communicate to the Minister for Foreign Affairs our concern about the attack by NATO on the Chinese embassy in Belgrade? The German Government has demanded an explanation and I believe Ireland should also seek one. How could a diplomatic mission be mistaken for a legitimate target? It is mind-boggling. It is important that the Houses of the Oireachtas are briefed on why and how this happened. It is not good enough for us to simply watch news items on the media; the Government should be properly informed. The Leader should ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to seek an explanation on behalf of the Irish Government and communicate it to the House.
Will the Leader find out when action will be taken on No. 24, motions 9 and 10, regarding the problem of adult literacy? A Green Paper was produced many months ago, submissions were made on it and a White Paper was promised. It is time action was taken. Perhaps the Leader will inquire from the Minister for Education and Science when legislation will be prepared to deal with this important issue.
I wish to raise the decision of UEFA to allow the football game between Yugoslavia and Ireland to proceed. This country has vivid memories of the 1991 atrocities, human rights abuses and ethnic cleansing carried out by the Serb population against its Muslim and Croat neighbours. Similar events are now taking place in Kosovo. We should use every opportunity to show our opposition to these policies. One way of doing so is to state that we do not agree with Ireland playing Yugoslavia at this time. Perhaps the Leader of the House will bring that suggestion to the attention of the Government. The Seanad should also indicate its opposition to the game taking place.
Employers are finding it extremely difficult to recruit employees. We heard today that approximately 30,000 applications for work permits are being made by industrialists in this country for foreign workers, particularly workers from eastern Europe. The Seanad should be afforded an opportunity to debate this matter. There are 200,000 people on the live register, yet employers are seeking work permits for 30,000 foreigners. Surely there is a contradiction in that. Either our training processes are wrong or there is some other reason for people not taking jobs. A debate on the subject might elicit some reasons for this contradiction.
A few weeks ago Senator Quinn drew the House's attention to the fact that a trade war was likely between the United States and Europe. This war could be upon us as soon as next Thursday. Sometimes when I hear the statements made by the World Trade Organisation I wonder if it is speaking on behalf of the World Health Organisation, so confident it is with regard to food safety.
Will the Leader of the House organise a debate on food safety? It should be remembered that aspirin was considered so safe that for five decades children were dying from its effects and many were seriously injured before we recognised that it was totally unsuitable for children. It was considered so safe it was given without prescription. Now we told that other products are equally safe, although they are carcinogens, and there is no need to worry about eating them. As an agricultural nation, we must address this issue seriously and examine the lack of research into it. All sides of the House would be interested in this debate.
There are have been many debates in the Seanad on the plight of refugees. We have discussed national policy and heard about the attitudes of various communities to their plight. It was, therefore, edifying last night to see the people of Kerry turning out in their hundreds in the most inclement weather to extend a warm céad míle fáilte to people who have lost everything and are traumatised. There are times when we have reason to feel ashamed about our attitude to refugees but Kerry has set a new standard. I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue, and the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy O'Donnell, our gratitude and appreciation for the manner in which they have acted. I hope we have set an example for the rest of the country.
I ask the Leader to transmit to the Minister for Health and Children the anxiety many people feel in the aftermath of today's publicity about the lack of paramedical training for ambulance crews and the fact that there is a considerable number of unnecessary fatalities as a result of this lack of training which ambulance crews require and would like to have. Apparently, the Department of Health and Children issued a policy directive in this regard. Something should be done about this matter.
I am not sure about the impeccably bad timing of the Minister's statement on refugees to which Senator O'Toole referred. I believe it showed impeccably bad taste inviting them here because we are unable to deal properly or appropriately with the refugees already in this country. We instanced this last week in the House when we spoke about a woman, whose husband was murdered and her children taken away and butchered, who was raped and who gave birth to a seriously handicapped child, yet when she applied for refugee status she was turned down. We have still not received a reply on that case. We should not start prating about our humanity, which is hypocrisy.
I agree with Senator Costello who expressed his concern about the levels of adult literacy. This is a matter of huge concern. It is worrying to think that so many adults can read and write. I understand this is spreading to children and that they are being taught these arts as well. This is the worst thing that has happened since Catholic emancipation. It should be stamped out because people should not be allowed to read and write. Illiteracy should prevail.
I ask the Leader to ask the Government Chief Whip and chairman of the millennium committee to ensure that public parks are included as projects to be funded from the millennium funds so that large public parks on the north side of Dublin and elsewhere, which have been badly defaced by vandalism, anti-social behaviour and death riding, can be restored and upgraded to national parks.
I support Senator Finneran's comments about UEFA's decision. It is despicable that UEFA should make a decision at this most sensitive time to permit the match between Ireland and Yugoslavia to go ahead. Despite the sentiments expressed by Senator Norris, I join in welcoming the Kosovar refugees to Ireland and I commend the people of Kerry for extending a warm céad míle fáilte to them.
I want to raise an issue of grave public concern in my part of the country – the meandering way in which the Flood Tribunal is being conducted, the huge expense being incurred and the fact that people's good names and characters are being called into question. The Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey, and the Tánaiste had to appear before it last week, although they are innocent of any wrongdoing. What has that to do with planning issues? The public believes the money could be better spent. The tribunal should do its job.
We have no control over the conduct of any tribunal.
I, like others, welcome the refugees to Ireland, although I regret the fact they had to be brought here. We should look at the reasons they are here. Refugees came here on numerous occasions because of natural causes. This is not because of natural but manmade causes and there is no right on either side of the conflict in Kosovo. I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator Costello in relation to the attack on the Chinese embassy. Anybody who would suggest that was a mistake must be living in cloud cuckoo land because that embassy is listed on the tourist map as in Belgrade.
We should stop carping about what is being said regarding the reception of the refugees and make certain, since they are here, that they are well looked after and that the people in the various areas where they will be placed will ensure they are brought into the community in a meaningful way. There is no point in pretending we can build permanent structures for refugees who might come here in the future. We have to look at the basis on which they are being brought in. Each individual situation has to be looked at in a proper humanitarian and legal way. There is no point in pretending that there are not people in this town, so-called refugees at every cross-roads in Dublin who are begging and supposed to be selling The Big Issues. They are being manipulated by the people who brought them in.
Hear, hear. They should go back to Kerry straightway.
They are in every area of the city and are manipulated by the crooks who brought them in. That is only one group. We must be careful about the situation.
There have been demands from both sides to discuss the operation of An Bord Pleanála. It is about time that was done. There are huge difficulties with An Bord Pleanála throughout the country. I have just come across a case in Kilkenny. A decision by a senior planning officer in An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission was overturned by a single board member after the residents and Kilkenny Corporation had turned down the appeal. The matter of An Bord Pleanála has to be raised in this House as soon as possible.
In join with Senator Finneran in regard to the jobs that are not available in Ireland. We must look again at legislation which forces people to retire at a very young age, especially from the public service. A huge number of people, gardaí and others, are forced to give up their jobs at 55 years of age. They leave the public service and bring with them years of expert knowledge. No computer can take over from their expertise. We must have a meaningful look at compulsory retirement ages, especially since this is supposed to be the year of the elderly. We could get over some of the problems mentioned by Senator Finneran if we had a look at legislation in this area.
I hope there is no compulsory age for Senators to retire. I wish to add my voice to the welcome for the refugees. While what we are offering is not the best, it is probably the most we can offer at this time. Surely a convent in Cork is better than a field in Macedonia.
On the question of sourcing workers from other countries, will the Leader inquire from the Minister if he intends to issue work permits to the refugees who are already here? Senator Lanigan has referred to this matter and I have raised it on numerous occasions. Last week a refugee woman was fined £1,000 for being in breach of the Road Traffic Acts, running across a four-lane motorway with a child. Surely there is some better way of providing occupational employment for refugees than to allow that sort of thing to continue. I am interested to hear when work permits will be provided for these people. The Leader will keep his word and I presume the debate will be held next week.
It will be held tomorrow.
I was not aware of that because it is not on my Order Paper. I thank the Leader.
I also welcome the refugees who arrived in Ireland last night. I congratulate the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Government on accepting the first group of Kosovar refugees. I am delighted that the first group will stay in Kerry and Cork and I thank the people of both counties for receiving the refugees with open arms. Cork and particularly Kerry have suffered the scourge of emigration since the Famine and even before it. The people of Kerry applauded the refugees and I compliment them on their reaction.
The Flood tribunal was mentioned earlier. I said some months ago that an all-party committee should be set up to deal with matters which could be the subject of any future tribunal. Has the Leader taken up this suggestion with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and has there been any advancement? Recently a friend of mine who was looking for a barrister was told that none was available because they were all tied up at tribunals. Has there been any progress on the matter?
I support Senator Finneran's comments on the employment of foreign labour, particularly given the level of unemployment in Ireland. Thankfully, the total is now less than 200,000 and it is important to mark the success of the Government in reducing the unemployment figures. However, I support Senator Finneran's call for a debate on this matter. I was approached recently by a businessman in Mullingar who had been approached by an individual with a modern van who asked for a letter stating that he—
We cannot go into that amount of detail.
It is only an example. It is an important matter and I want to explain why Senator Finneran and I are calling for a debate. The point is whether 200,000 people are unemployed or unemployable. Some people are gen uinely unemployed and I support them. However, I fail to understand how it is not possible to get people to work on FÁS schemes in County Westmeath.
I previously raised my concern and that of the public about the large number of women who are missing. It is time this matter was debated. Perhaps somebody in the Chamber or listening to the debate could think of something which would be of assistance to the Garda in discovering the whereabouts of the missing women. This would be of great benefit and consolation to the relatives.
I asked recently for a debate on Partnership for Peace. The Kosovar refugees were welcomed earlier but they came from an area of warfare. I understand that a debate is progressing in the main Government party in relation to Ireland's membership of Partnership for Peace. If we are not careful there will be a fait accompli before we know about it in this House. There are opposing views on the matter and that is why the Seanad is the ideal forum to discuss it.
Senator Henry called for a debate on food safety. This discussion should include the danger facing Ireland's exports because of the row, which escalated yesterday, caused by the European Commission wanting more time to examine the topic mentioned by Senator Henry and the issue of beef imports to Europe. If we are not careful we will find that a ban has been placed on our exports by the World Trade Organisation and the United States. This matter needs to be debated urgently and I support Senator Henry's call for a discussion.
I congratulate Senator Coghlan on becoming the acting leader of the Opposition. I was pleased that he, the Government Whip, Senator Tom Fitzgerald, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, were present in Farranfore last night to represent the Oireachtas and the generosity of the people of Kerry. In my opinion Deputy O'Donoghue is the hardest working Minister in the Government. Last year he introduced 17 Bills and he is doing a wonderful job as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on behalf of the people.
This is more evidence of the good work of the Taoiseach, the Minister, the Minister of State and the Government, which came to fruition in Farranfore Airport at 1 a.m. today, and I wholeheartedly congratulate them. I also welcome the refugees, who range in age from two months to 90 years.
In response to Senator Coghlan, I will let the House know later in the week what legislation is planned between now and the end of the session. Senators O'Toole, Costello, Ó Murchú and Lanigan expressed concern for the refugees and interest in the reasons they came here. I can agree to Senator O'Toole's call for a debate on the position after Partnership 2000. I will come back to him on his queries about two Bills. I will pass on to the Minister the views of Senators Costello and Lanigan about the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. I can agree to Senator Costello's request for a debate on adult literacy. I will pass on to the Minister the views of Senators Finneran and Liam Fitzgerald on the Irish soccer team playing Yugoslavia.
Senators Finneran, Lanigan and Glynn mentioned the shortage of labour for industry. The shortage is so bad in the service sector that there is a crisis. I will allow for a long debate on this matter within the next two weeks. It is a most serious matter because it is practically impossible to get staff. Perhaps the Department of Education and Science and other Departments could train people for the service sector and encourage them to join it.
Senators Henry and Quinn called for statements on food safety and Senator Quinn highlighted the danger to exports. I will allow time for this issue. Senator Norris expressed his views about ambulance crews, which I will pass to the Minister. Senator Liam Fitzgerald called for millennium funding from the Minister of State, Deputy Brennan, for public parks. I will raise this with the Minister.
Senator Lanigan called for an urgent debate on An Bord Pleanála. Every Senator will have had difficulty understanding out how An Bord Pleanála can overturn certain planning permissions which were granted by eminent planning authorities. I will arrange for a debate at the earliest possible time. Senator Quinn called for a debate on Partnership for Peace. I have agreed to this and will leave time aside for it.
Order of Business agreed to.