The Order of Business is No. 1, Planning and Development Bill, 1999, Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, with the contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 30 minutes and other Senators not to exceed 20 minutes. Business shall be interrupted from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and at 4 p.m.
Order of Business.
As far as I am concerned, the Order of Business is agreeable. Perhaps the Leader might be able to indicate to us today the forthcoming legislation for the remainder of this session?
The Order of Business is agreeable. A point that should be made clearly is that this morning's ESRI report is a good reason why we need to have a state of the nation or general discussion, as we called for yesterday. If anybody believes the Irish taxpayer is prepared to wait until the bad times to get tax reform – this is a brand new line – that will not happen. There should be a clear message and people would appreciate if they heard the Houses of the Oireachtas say that. There is no possibility of moving forward to a new agreement or anything else if the tax improvements do not start in the coming budget. This House would do well to deal with this among other matters.
I am not necessarily asking for a debate on the ESRI report, it is another one of those issues that could be dealt with in a general discussion on the state of the nation. If that is not to be, I would like a discussion on the ESRI report. I recognise it could be referred to under the discussion on the National Development Plan to some extent next week. We need a plan to address these issues. There are three or four issues that can be dealt with separately or together. We need to know from the Leader how he intends to deal with them.
Another matter I raised yesterday with the Leader was the report on the River Shannon pollution and wider issues, on which I would like a date for a discussion. I want to make it clear I am not doing this from the point of view of trying to embarrass the Government or Government parties. If the Leader says the debate can be held on the second Wednesday in November I would be happy enough with that, as long as I know there is a particular date when it will be dealt with openly and conclusions arrived at. That is what I am seeking in this case but I am not going to let go of it. Given the huge national investment in that area we need to look at it.
Another matter that could also be dealt with is the general public relations issue, in terms of a new national agreement. That could be dealt with in the broader or the narrower sense. I ask the Leader to take on board those issues in his reply.
Mr. Ryan
We have no problem with the Order of Business. Will the Leader initiate a procedure to have a look at the pace at which Government operates? Some of us here had the extraordinary experience yesterday of hearing a Minister say, over and over again, after four or five months, that he had not had time to consider matters that had been raised on Committee Stage on the Copyright and Related Rights Bill. I regard that as quite offensive to the Members of this House. Those of us who have not had the assistance of a Government Department have had the chance to consider these matters twice and got around to making up our minds about them. We had a succession of instances where the Minister of State said: "I think you probably have a point but we have not got around yet, in the Department, to sorting out what we really think about it". I do not think that is the way for Government to do business. The rest of us have had to learn lessons about competitiveness, efficiency and speed of decision making and it is time Government Departments caught up with us and learned to make up their minds quickly.
While I know the Minister for Foreign Affairs is due to come before this House to speak about East Timor, yesterday's decision by the US Senate not to ratify the test ban treaty combined with the coup in Pakistan should give us all concern about the safety of the world. Such events convey a completely opposite feeling to the notions that we are all safer because of the end of the Cold War. The Minister's welcome initiative to seek a complete ban on nuclear weapons would be an appropriate issue for this House to discuss in the light of the increasing threat to all our security.
Finally, and very briefly, I appeal through you and the Leader to our political leaders to be very careful in their language about asylum seekers. Yesterday the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform referred to what he called "a glut of asylum seekers" in the State. It is not the language he should use. I suspect he regretted using it. It is a way in which problems may be caused in society when our political leaders use such language.
I support Senator Ryan's remarks about efficiency in the State. I ask the Leader to consider the report we received this week from the Comptroller and Auditor General and to find time to debate it. It seems, at first glance, a very interesting report and one which we should debate.
During the last session I frequently raised the problems in the registrar's office in Lombard Street. I congratulate the Leader for at least drawing attention to the fact that during the summer, it was announced that computerisation is taking place there at last to remove those long queues.
I draw to the Leader's attention that road deaths are higher than they have been for many years and that we have the highest number of people who have not passed their driving test. If one applies to do the driving test, it takes months before one can sit it. We have the worst record in Europe. An effort will be made the weekend after next to have a weekend in which there will be no road deaths. If we can computerise one area, the next challenge for this State should be to ensure people on the road have passed the test.
Will the Leader bring to the attention of the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach the urgent need to increase staffing levels at the Office of the Information Commissioner? There is a minimum delay of one year, in most cases, before one's query can be dealt with, and that is not good enough. The staff are snowed under with work. Given that more public bodies are being brought within the remit of the Act, the information being sought from officials and civil servants will never see the light of day given the staffing levels in that office. It is a very urgent and important matter.
I call for a debate on the Bacon report on road safety. We hear much about young lads not having passed their test, but there are no statistics to prove that people with provisional licences are involved in accidents. I have not read anywhere that a provisional driver was involved in an accident, so let us be clear on that. Too many people are focusing on the driving test. There will be a written test. That means a fellow who can write, as I have said about experts, 40 foolscap pages on the shape of a penny but never see it as round, will get a driver's licence and that a fellow or lassie, who is an expert driver, knows about the mechanics of a car and how to control it but who cannot put it in writing will be disqualified. This is a stupid—
I take it Senator Farrell is seeking a debate on the matter.
I also point out that the majority of accidents occur between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. on quiet country roads, not on main thoroughfares. The 60 miles an hour limit on main roads is ridiculous; it should be at least 70 miles an hour and maybe 50 miles an hour on country roads.
Senator Farrell, these are points which can be made during the debate.
The boys with the hairdryers would want to go out after dances and discos and not be after people like us coming to Dublin on business, driving sober and knowing what we are doing.
It is a pity Fianna Fáil did not agree with us when the Road Traffic Bill was going through the House when we said all those things.
I will have the list of future legislation prepared for next week. It was not possible to have it for the House this morning. Senator O'Toole followed up on the request by Senator Manning and many other speakers yesterday for a debate on the state of the nation and also in the light of the ESRI report. I hope to hold such a debate in the first week of November. We hope to allow speakers as much time as they require. It is a very good idea and it is the right time to hold such a debate. Senator O'Toole requested a debate on water quality, all matters relating to the River Shannon and the Lough Key report. I will allow time aside for a debate early in November.
Senator Quinn and Senator Ryan, in particular, mentioned the Copyright and Related Rights Bill, which was further discussed in the House yesterday. The Minister of State is doing a good job. This is major legislation and the second largest Bill to come before either House in 15 years. Many amendments were accepted. The Bill is groundbreaking in relation to European legislation on copyright and many European countries are watching its progress. It is intended to accept further amendments on Report Stage.
I agree with Senator Ryan on one or two points but I compliment the Minister of State on his flexibility and the fact that he is allowing as much time as possible and not imposing a guillotine. The Bill is being debated and everything is being teased out. I compliment Senators, who are making such a major contribution. The tabling of 108 amendments on Report Stage, speaks for itself.
Senator Quinn referred to Lombard Street and that computerisation has taken place. I thank him for his comments. I will leave time aside for a debate on the Comptroller and Auditor General's report. He also expressed views on driving licences and the difficulties with the driving test. This is a major challenge for Government and the Minister. I agree with the Senator and will pass on his comments to the Minister's office after the Order of Business. Senator Farrell, who has vast experience as a road user apart from being an eminent Senator, gave us much food for thought. I am sure when the Minister hears what he had to say, he will start to think about the speed levels the Senator suggested. I will pass on Senator O'Dowd's request to the Minister for Finance.
I would like to be associated with the deputy leader's remarks yesterday in congratulating the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Manning, on his recent publication. He did himself and those associated with him proud on national radio this morning. I wish him well with his latest venture, his book on James Dillon
Order of Business agreed to.