The Order of Business is Nos. 2, 3 and 18, motion No. 21: No. 2, the Aviation Regulation Bill, 2000 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, with the contributions of spokespersons not exceeding 15 minutes and those of all other Senators not exceeding ten minutes; No. 3, Intoxicating Liquor Bill, 2000 – Report and Final Stages. No. 18, motion No. 21, resumed, will be taken from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Business will resume thereafter if not previously concluded.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreeable. Will the Leader indicate when he will have the promised debate on Northern Ireland? All sides of the House would like to have that debate in the very near future.
Last week an all-party motion calling for an examination of the current state of funding of parties and other related issues was agreed by the party leaders and the Leader gave an undertaking to put it on the Order Paper. When does he propose to do this? This is the most urgent matter facing these Houses at present. It is important that we have a definite indication that we will have a debate and that it will happen at the earliest possible moment.
I would like to raise a matter that I raised last week, that is the question of the continuing debate on corruption and bribery and the commitment given by the Leader that there would be a discussion. Last week I raised with the Leader the importance of having such a debate before names came into the open. There seems to be little regard for due process and people are being found guilty through rumour and innuendo. I still believe what I said last week, that we should deal with this issue. There is a requirement on us, under Article 15 of the Constitution, to protect this House and its Members from bribery and corruption. This House should determine that people found guilty after due process – I stress those words – are dealt with appropriately by the House and are suspended from the House or whatever.
It is amazing that on the one hand this House can suspend somebody for three days for a minor infringement of rules of order – and I am not questioning the correctness of that. On the other hand, somebody can be suspended for 15 days in another place for something which is absolutely serious and undermines the whole democratic structure.
I believe in due process and that the House should protect itself. It should also protect the good names of its Members and ensure that due process is properly followed. There is no place in the House for somebody who has been found guilty of bribery or corruption after due process. I intend to table a motion on that basis in due course.
I agree entirely with the sentiments of Senator O'Toole. I refer the Leader to motion No. 18 on the Order Paper which refers to a register of lobbyists. There is all-party support for this motion. It could be the beginning of the House's debate on corruption and bribery that is now apparently endemic in certain quarters of the planning process in our local authorities, and perhaps much wider still. We must be seen, as a House of the Oireachtas, to be discussing here what is being discussed in every corner of this country. It would be quite wrong if we were to say that this is being dealt with by the tribunals and outside the House. It must be discussed because there are broader values and principles that have a bearing on this House and on the Oireachtas. I ask the Leader to facilitate the Labour group with Private Members' time next week and we can deal with the register of lobbyists. It would be a very useful start to the debate.
Senator Quinn has raised on a very regular basis the issue of inflation and I do not want to pre-empt anything he might say. We have been constantly pointing out in this House that the trend of inflation does not concur with what the Government and the Minister for Finance have been saying over the past months. The Taoiseach had to admit that the position is extremely disappointing and some economists have suggested it is almost frightening. The gains made in the agreement with the social partners have been eroded and the inflation rate for the year will be double the 3% predicted by the Minister. There is a need for a debate on the management of the economy and the factors fuelling inflation.
I also wish to raise the privatisation proposals for Dublin Bus. There have been many calls in the House for a debate on the broad issue of privatisation. The Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, is drip feeding us with privatisation proposals which are announced every few weeks and there is a need for broader debate on how the issue is to be addressed. There are significant issues to be discussed if Dublin Bus is to be privatised. Will the Leader invite the Minister to the House to have an early debate on this issue?
Senator O'Toole and I have raised on many occasions the need for a Garda presence on the navigation channel of the River Shannon. In this regard, the House should congratulate the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue, on the launch of a high speed Garda patrol boat on the Shannon this week. Today's newspaper headlines reiterate the need for such a presence in that there has been another major fish kill at Lanesboro, between Longford and Roscommon. Many illegal activities have taken place on the Shannon recently—
This issue is not relevant to the Order of Business and the Senator should find another way to raise the matter.
I appreciate that, a Chathaoirligh, but it is important that the House compliments the Minister because it has called for such a development on many occasions and has debated many issues which could have been dealt with if there had been a Garda presence on the Shannon. This is a welcome development on which the Minister and the Garda Commissioner are to be congratulated. Given the increased traffic and illegal activity on the river, it is a welcome development.
Two years ago I raised the issue of the quality of drinking water as a result of a report issued by Friends of the Earth which is not a radical or extreme group. Friends of the Earth carried out a scientific survey which indicated that the quality of our drinking water was below EU standards. As a result, it successfully took a case against the Government in the European courts and the Government must now impose strictly regulated means of cleaning up rivers to ensure that people have clean drinking water. Will the Leader invite the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey, to the House to outline his intentions in this regard?
I join Senators in calling for a debate on alleged corruption in local authorities. However, I would not like anyone to think there is corruption in every local authority as that would be unfair to elected representatives. It is important that people are treated as innocent until proven guilty.
I wish to offer my sympathies on the deaths of the two gardaí who lost their lives in the course of duty this week. Will the Leader highlight to the Minister the fact that 20% of Garda vehicles are below standard and ask him to update these vehicles?
I will continue to call for a debate on An Bord Pleanála until the end of this session. This is an important issue and I ask the Leader to arrange such a debate. Whatever about corruption, it is unfortunate that the board turns down planning applications recommended for permission by county engineers and councillors. There is a need for a debate on this issue.
Due to the high rate of inflation and the fact that one financial institution today forecast that it could rise to 10%, I join Senator Costello in calling for an urgent debate on the economy.
For years I have raised the issue of the medical staffing of hospitals. It is a miracle that hospitals are running today but I assure Senators that the strike has only been deferred; we have not reached a satisfactory conclusion. The Tierney report on medical staffing was published five years ago but no action was taken. A medical manpower committee sat two years ago but there was still no action. We will be in a dire situation by July when there will be fresh problems regarding hospital staffing, particularly outside major centres, by non-EU doctors who are finding it very difficult to obtain registration.
Will the Leader give some sense of urgency to this issue and arrange a debate? The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, has not been in his position very long but I have received petitions from neurologists and urologists and regarding industrial health medicine. The situation is no longer funny. Waiting lists exist because there are no doctors to treat people. I will be guided by what you say, a Chathaoirligh, but July is very near and no notice is being taken of what is happening in hospitals. The strike has been settled because people have been paid money owed to them since 1997. This is ridiculous and nothing has happened as regards the future.
I also wish to refer to the rate of inflation which, at almost 5% and rising, is at its highest level since 1985. Will the Leader outline the measures, if any, the Government has to arrest this extremely damaging rate and to reduce it to more acceptable and manageable levels?
Senator Finneran complimented the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the launch of a speed boat on the River Shannon. However, Senator Dan Kiely made a more important point calling on the Minister to ensure that there are no outdated or defective Garda vehicles. I also offer my sympathies on the deaths of the two gardaí.
Will the Leader arrange a debate on the national lottery? A large group of journalists are going to Paris at the expense of the lottery. I wish them bon voyage and hope they have a beautiful junket. It is nice of the national lottery to take them and it is gracious of the journalists to accept the invitation.
Everyone is a winner.
There are 800 families on the Maugherow peninsula, north Sligo, but they cannot get a lotto machine. There is no lotto machine between Grange and Bundoran. Cliffony and Mullaghmore are the hub of the tourism industry in the area, yet the national lottery will not provide a machine for the area which is heavily populated and which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every summer.
These details can be given in the debate the Senator is seeking.
The national lottery should outline to the House how it issues lotto machines. Does one need a magic wand to get one of them? What are the criteria? If the national lottery is not going to give rural Ireland a fair deal as regards lotto machines it is time we gave the job to someone who will respect rural Ireland.
I support Senator Manning's call for comprehensive debates on the register of lobbyists, the funding of political parties and alleged bribery and corruption, which are taxing the minds of the public. It does not inspire much confidence in Senators as public representatives that we have had to call for such debates prior to the Easter recess and again today.
Before the Easter recess we also called for a debate on the increasing rate of inflation. The latest CSO report shows that it is increasing rapidly and creating great concern among financial analysts in this country and elsewhere. I hope we will deal with this matter immediately and have a constructive debate on how to reduce the inflation figures without affecting the economic success we are now enjoying.
If this House is to be meaningful, it must debate the issue of bribery and corruption. The debate must be held now. One is told by Government Senators and others that we should wait until there is a conclusion to the tribunals. I do not believe we can. The Flood tribunal might continue for another two years and we cannot wait that long.
I agree with Senator O'Toole that we should not name names until after due process. There is a danger of guilt being attributed by virtue of one's name being mentioned. If we have this debate, and it should take place soon, we must be careful about how we throw names around. The Flood tribunal is working carefully and definitely towards its conclusions and it is bringing to light many matters which we have not debated previously.
I agree with Senator Costello and others with regard to inflation. Not only is our inflation rate high but the inflation rate in the UK is now the lowest for many years. It is, therefore, not just a problem that the Irish rate is high but also the fact that our nearest trading partner's inflation rate is at its lowest. I have regularly sought a debate on the inflation rate and we had such a debate. The Leader will also point to the regular debates on the economy. We must keep our eye on this matter even if it is only this House that does so.
I also support Senator Manning's call for a debate on Northern Ireland. It is crucial that we are careful about the words we use. It might be too late to speak in a couple of weeks if we do not get the opportunity to do so immediately.
Senator Finneran referred to our waterways. I come from a county that is blessed with many lakes and rivers. Will the Leader allocate time for a debate on water sports and the use of our lakes and rivers? Regrettably, a small number of people make life most unpleasant for everybody else on our waterways. This problem must be addressed in a serious and comprehensive manner. I am not averse to people participating in water sports but when it is done at the expense of others I take note of that. I will not pre-empt the debate.
Will the Leader ask the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources to come before the House to debate this important matter? Last year there were a couple of near fatalities on lakes in Westmeath. I hope concerted action will be taken as soon as possible to avoid such occurrences in the future.
The Border, midland and western regional assembly has published its programme for the next six years. There are serious deficiencies in the programme. Since it concerns 13 of the twenty-six counties, I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the programme. It has just been published and sent to Europe for final approval. One striking item in the programme is an allocation of £10 million for deep sea port development in the 13 counties. A sum of £10 million would not build a breakwater in a major port, never mind provide services for ports in 13 counties. A debate on the document is urgently required and I urge the Leader to arrange it.
In relation to the doctors' strike which was deferred from today, recognition should be given to the efforts of the Minister for Health and Children last week to bring about this deferral. I am glad the doctors' organisation is more amenable to a process of change. There has not been great will in this regard on the part of that organisation over the years. It has seen the light, however, and I welcome that fact. Everybody must change at some stage.
I support Senator Caffrey's call for a debate on the BMW regional programme. There should be an immediate debate on it. Will the Leader also arrange for a debate on the gas find in the Corrib basin off the west coast? It would be an appropriate means of assessing what benefits there will be for the west, how the region can garner benefits from the find and whether this will be another gas find where the gas will flow into the national grid and out of the country. The debate should be held in the short term.
I have been waiting a long time for the publication of the White Paper on adult education. I understand there is an ongoing dispute in the Department of Education and Science. That is a pity. We are approaching the end of the academic year and many teachers who are dealing with adult education would like to have plans available for their future timetables. Perhaps the Leader would inquire why this go-slow is taking place and how long we will have to wait for the White Paper. It has been on the books for the last six months and there is concern among teachers and educationists about how long they must wait for its publication.
Will the Leader ask the relevant Minister to introduce urgent legislation to enable owners of public carparks at hospitals, supermarkets and so forth to impose fines on motorists who park in spaces reserved for the disabled? I have received an increasing number of complaints in my constituency about greedy, lazy and arrogant motorists parking in these reserved spaces. They cause enormous grief in hospital carparks for disabled patients who must travel daily or a few times each week to the hospital. The same problem applies in public carparks at supermarkets. The grief, suffering and inconvenience caused warrant urgent legislation to enable owners of such carparks to impose fines. I call for the introduction of such legislation.
Senator Quinn raised the inflation issue more than three months ago in this House. At the time the impression was given that such a debate was unnecessary. This is a serious matter. Inflation frightened us for many years in the 1970s and 1980s and we have no wish for it to increase again. Ideas could be put forward by all sides of the House to assist the Minister. It is most important that we have a debate on the matter. When Senator Quinn raised it, a commitment was given. There should now be a commitment to have an urgent debate.
I wish to express our sympathy to the families of the two gardaí who were killed this week, Garda Conor Griffin and Garda Gareth Harmon. They were 25 and 28 years of age, in the prime of their lives, and had completed their training for membership of the Garda Síochána, the force responsible for the orderly conduct of citizens since the foundation of the State. I send our condolences to their families, the Garda Commissioner and everyone concerned.
Senator Manning and Senator Quinn asked for a debate on Northern Ireland. I will arrange for such a debate at the earliest opportune time and I note the Senators' expressions of interest today. Senators Manning, O'Toole, Costello, Dan Kiely, Jackman and Quinn called for an early debate on the funding of political parties and of politicians. There were requests from the party leaders on this matter last week. The matter will be on the Order Paper tomorrow in the names of the party leaders in this House. I hope to inform Members in the morning of when it is proposed to have the debate. I will allow Members the longest possible time for contributions.
A number of Senators called for a debate on inflation, now at 5%. I will make time available for this. It is something about which we were forewarned by the Minister for Finance in the budget.
The Minister for Finance did not have a clue.
Selective amnesia.
It is running slightly above that rate. As one who is actively involved in business, I can compare the rate to that which applied in 1986. I look forward to the contributions to this debate from both sides of the House, in particular from the Government side.
I will also provide time for a debate on the privatisation of Dublin Bus. Such a debate would be timely. I know the Minister will be only too pleased to give an account of her stewardship, which, as I have said on many occasions, has been excellent to say the least.
Private Members' business is the motion which was before the House last week. I do not expect it to conclude this evening. I expect that next week the Labour Party will use Private Members' time, as the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Senators have done, to continue the debate because many speakers have much to contribute to it.
I can pass on Senator Finneran's congratulations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the new Garda patrol boat on the River Shannon. Senator Coogan called for a debate on the report of Friends of the Earth on water control and I can provide time for this.
Senator Dan Kiely again called for a debate on An Bord Pleanála. Recently the Planning and Development Bill, 1999, was before the House and a great amount of time was allocated to it. I understand there are over 800 Committee Stage amendments to it in the Dáil. As I said last week, I will allow time for the matter to be debated.
Senator Farrell called for a debate on the national lottery. I can make time available for this. I noted with interest his concern at how difficult it is to acquire lotto machines, particularly in areas of rising population and in the village to which he referred where they would be necessary from a tourism point of view from April to October.
Senators Caffrey and Burke called for a debate on the report on the BMW region for the next six years. This part of Ireland has not benefited from the Celtic tiger to the same extent as other parts over the past ten or 12 years and it is an opportune time to debate the report which, as the Senator correctly pointed out, has gone to the EU for approval. I can provide time to have this debated in the next two weeks. I will pass on to the Minister Senator Burke's views on the gas find off the west coast.
I can have inquiries made into the publishing of the White Paper on Adult Education for Senator Ormonde. Next Wednesday I will update the House on the matter. I can pass on the views of Senator Liam Fitzgerald regarding the abuse of parking spaces for people with a disability in all public places.
The Leader did not answer my question about the staffing of the hospitals. It is a most urgent matter.
I am sure the Senator and the House will congratulate the Minister for his hard work and endeavours, and everyone who played a part in having today's strike called off.
The Minister did not involve himself directly with it.
Order. Senator Henry has already spoken on the Order of Business.
On a point of information, the Minister made sure not to involve himself directly.
I am sure Senator Henry will congratulate the Government for a record-breaking allocation of funds in the past two budgets.
I am astonished. I certainly will not congratulate him.
Order, please.
It is the worst situation there has been in the health service for a decade.
May we have order for the Leader's reply, please?
It is astonishing to suggest it.
I do not know what is happening where the Senator lives. I only know what is happening where I live. In Mullingar we have the most modern hospital in Ireland and I am proud of it.
I know what is happening where I work.
I am proud to say that I am a member of the Midland Health Board which provided that hospital. Morning, noon and night I listen to negative contributions in this Chamber, but it is about time somebody stood up and let the people know what is really happening. The hospital in Mullingar is second to none. I invite the Senator to visit this modern service in the midlands. We in the midlands are entitled to a service which is the same as that available everywhere else.
Let us have a debate on it.
On a point of information, I am sure that Mullingar hospital—
Senator Henry, this is not in order. The Leader has replied. I am sure the Senator can find another way to raise this matter.
He has not replied to me, a Chathaoirligh. I asked whether the Minister might come to the House and I got an expression of congratulations about what the Minister has done for Mullingar hospital.
I have no control over the Leader's reply.
On a point of order, with all due respect, I know the Leader may be trying to impress the deputy leader of his party. The reply of the Leader of the House is not a party political broadcast for the Government but that is what it is becoming.
Senator O'Toole—
But it is creating a problem.
—I am not going to allow a debate on the Leader's reply. It is completely without precedent.
Order of Business agreed to.