The Order of Business is No. 2, Criminal Justice (United Nations Convention Against Torture) Bill, 1998 – Report Stage; and No. 3, Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) Bill, 1999 – Second Stage. The contributions of spokespersons on No. 3 shall not exceed 20 minutes and those of other Senators shall not exceed 15 minutes.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreed as far as I am concerned. I wish to raise two issues. The first is the situation in Sierra Leone. There have been debates previously on this subject in the House but the current situation is grave, bordering on barbaric in some cases. The previous and current Ministers for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State are sympathetic to seeing if Ireland could use a greater degree of influence in securing a higher level of international intervention and the focusing of more aid on Sierra Leone. The situation is one of enormous gravity and I ask the Leader to allocate an hour for debate during the next two weeks. An hour will probably be sufficient because there is no disagreement on the subject. I am aware that the Minister of State would like to comment on the issue and I would appreciate it if the Leader would arrange a debate.
I am seeking information on the debate on item 20, motion 22, in the names of most of the party leaders. I am sure the leader of the Progressive Democrats would be happy to put his name to it if he were asked. Every talk show and newspaper in the country is discussing the issues in the motion. Members on all sides of the House have something to say on them too and this is the appropriate place to do it. I ask the Leader to start the debate next week; it will probably go on for at least a couple of weeks. It would be the proper thing to do and would send the right signal. A couple of hours next week will be sufficient to start it.
We are happy with the Order of Business. There is news this morning that ten beaches in Ireland have lost their blue flag. Last night we had a debate on pollution but the country's growth and the desire for growth at any cost is damaging our social lives in other ways, in terms of housing and traffic congestion. Now we discover that it is affecting our beaches. We must draw the Government's attention to these implications. We had a good debate last week on the economy but we must remind ourselves of its effects in other areas.
Will the Leader also draw the Government's attention to the proposal of the EU Commission yesterday to extend value added tax to Internet services and goods sold by electronic means? This proposal might not be in the interests of this country. It is the type of thing about which we must be on our guard. It is likely to be another cause of dispute between the United States and Europe. The Commission's action should not go unheeded by the Government. Our voice must be heard in this regard.
I support Senator Manning's call for a debate on item 20, motion 22. We have been seeking that a motion of this nature be on the Order Paper for over a month and last week the Leader agreed to add his name to it. However, there does not appear to be a sense of urgency about debating it. It is little use having a motion on the Order Paper if there is no date for the debate. It is important that the public sees that this House is concerned about allegations of corruption in the political sphere.
The Senator should not debate the subject of the motion on the Order of Business.
I do not intend to do so but this is the substance of the debate for which I am calling. I ask the Leader of the House to give a date before the end of the month for the debate. As Senator Manning said, it would be appropriate to allow two weeks for it.
In view of the statement yesterday by the largest motor insurance company in Ireland that it is increasing its premium rates by 5%, the House should debate the issue of car insurance for young people. They are often not even given quotes by insurance companies. I know many responsible young people in employment who can buy a car for £500 but are quoted £3,000 for motor insurance. They simply cannot get to their place of work with ease, public transport in the city being so poor. The other issue is provisional driving licences and the need for the allocation of more resources to ensure that people driving on the roads are aware of the regulations and are able to drive properly. I am seeking a debate, therefore, on that issue and motor insurance.
With regard to item 20, motion 22 on the funding of political parties and lobbyists, I am surprised I was not asked to put my name to the motion given that every other group has subscribed to it. I am happy to have my name put to the motion.
I knew the Senator would.
While it is appropriate that this subject be debated, it is worth pointing out that the Government amendment to a recent motion allowed these matters to be discussed. That debate, however, ended 40 minutes early.
That is not true.
That is true.
It is not true. That was a very limited debate.
I support Senator Manning in his request for a debate on events in Sierra Leone and express our concern about what is happening in that region. Perhaps events in Fiji could also be debated, but we can discuss that issue afterwards. This is a serious matter and we have a good history in relation to East Timor and other areas throughout the world. This issue merits attention and could be dealt with in approximately one hour.
I support Senator Manning and others in seeking that debate. We are in the dying days of this session and this is the most important item on the agenda for the whole session, yet we have not got a commitment to have the matter debated in the next couple of weeks. The public will cast great aspersions on this House if we cannot have the matter debated.
Senator Henry and I have been asking for years what is happening to the Mental Health Bill which has still not come to this House. This is an extremely important Bill which I presume will not be debated before the summer recess. It is essential that the legislation comes to this House as soon as possible.
Senator Quinn raised the issue of Ireland's loss of ten blue flags and asked that the issue be debated. I support that call and say to the Leader of the House that there is a real need for the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to come to this House for a day long debate on the deterioration of the environment under every heading. We have been asking for a debate on the issue for almost an entire year and each time we get an element of the overall environmental agenda, addressed by a Minister of State. The House needs and is seeking a full day debate with the Minister in charge of the Department.
The loss of ten blue flags is not only a major set-back for Ireland's economy but has major public health implications. This is further evidence of the ongoing deterioration of the envir onment. This is a great scandal. This is a more important issue than the debate called for by so many other Senators this morning. I suspect that ten years from now a tribunal of inquiry will be set up to investigate how this generation of politicians failed to address the issue of the environment and halt the deterioration in environmental quality.
The Senator has made a very good case for the debate.
I want the Minister to come to this House for a full day debate on the issue before the end of the session.
Senator Quill has made a very good case for a debate on the environment and I hope I can make as good a case for a debate before the end of the session on the medical and nursing staffing in our hospitals. The Leader of the House will be aware that the Midland Health Board is still advertising for staff for 1 July. These people will not be available and locums are still being sought to replace people going on holidays this month. I have been seeking a debate on this issue for six months. I can inform Senator Jackman that the Mental Health Bill, which came to this House before Christmas, is stuck in aspic before the Select Committee on Health and Children because it has not yet had one day's debate in that committee. I have no fight with the Minister for Health and Children who is doing a good job. However, there is a great lack of urgency about dealing with these issues, even though people are suffering.
I suggest to the Leader of the House that time be made available for a debate on the important issues of the environment and the staffing of hospitals which affect everyone in the country.
Will the Leader agree to include urban crime in his promised debate on rural crime? It must be obvious to everyone that urban and rural terrorists are taking over the country. I do not mean these people are carrying guns but they are destroying the fabric of social life and terrorising the elderly. We seem to be doing a Pontius Pilate on the issue and it is time the matter was addressed. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to come to this House as soon as possible to debate the issue because he is the only person who can solve the problem of policing. The Garda Commissioner cannot solve this problem because it is the Minister who can provide the extra manpower. The Garda Commissioner can just deploy the gardaí.
I support Senator Henry's call for a debate on staffing shortages in our hospitals. I request that the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment come to this House to debate the unemployment issue. For the first time ever, we have the lowest unemployment rate nationally of 4.7%. We all welcome the increase of 100,000 people in work this year. However, it is worth noting that the highest rate of unemployment in the country is in the Border regions, including counties Cavan and Monaghan, where there is a 7.3% unemployment rate. It is time the Minister outlined her policies on increasing the employment rate in this area.
I support the calls for a debate on the environment, particularly the loss of blue flags on our beaches. Will the Leader of the House bring to the attention of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey, that County Meath has lost its blue flag beaches? He should also bring to the attention of the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Deputy Ahern, that County Louth has lost its blue flags. There is an immediate need for a fundamental initiative in the area of environmental safety and health in looking after our water quality, toilet facilities and litter control on beaches throughout the country. Something must be done about this problem.
Senators Manning and Dardis called for a short debate on Sierra Leone and Senator Dardis asked that Fiji be included. I will allow time for a debate on the issue next week.
Senators Manning, Costello and Dardis called for a debate on item 20, motion No. 22, which is now an all-party motion. I am pleased to inform the House that there will be a full day debate on the issue on Tuesday, 27 June. I look forward to all Senators making a contribution on the funding of political parties and politicians and how the democratic process in general is to be funded. I look forward to the suggestions of Members.
Senators Quinn, Quill and O'Dowd expressed great concern about the ten beaches that have lost the blue flag. As someone who comes from the lake county district, I am very concerned about this matter. I will allow time for a debate on water management, quality and control. We had a good debate in this House last night on waste management, which is the biggest single challenge facing local authorities. All local authorities are at an advanced stage of debating this issue and I understand they will be making a decision on the matter very soon. Water management is equally important and I agree with Senator Quill who said that future generations will not thank Parliament or Government if it does not continue to provide the high rate of funding which has been provided up to now and place importance on the green, friendly environment for which Ireland has been recognised and acknowledged over many years. I will allow time before the end of this session for a debate on the issue.
I will pass on Senator Quinn's views on the EU report published yesterday. Senator Costello called for a debate on the insurance industry. I have no difficulty in leaving time for this. Senators Henry and Jackman inquired about the progress of the Mental Health Bill. My under standing and hope is that it will be concluded by the end of the session and I will do whatever I can in terms of additional sitting days to ensure this.
Senators Leonard and Henry expressed their deep concerns about staffing levels in hospitals throughout the country. I will pass on their views and will invite the Minister to the House, if time permits, to have it debated and discussed before the end of session.
Senator Ridge called for a debate on crime and I will leave time for that. Senator Leonard called for the Tánaiste to be invited to the House for a debate on the success of the Government in relation to employment. The Senator also mentioned the unemployment problems in the Border area. I will put the request to the Tánaiste and see if it is possible to have a debate before the end of session.
Order of Business agreed to.