The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re Iarnród Éireann Mini-CTC, to be taken without debate; No. 2, Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Bill, 2001 – Committee and remaining Stages; No. 3, statements on the Middle East, with contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 10 minutes, and of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, to be taken from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.; and No. 4, Valuation Bill, 2000 – Committee and remaining Stages to be taken at 2.30 p.m. Business will be interrupted from 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreed. On Tuesday I asked the Leader if he could find out from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the reports into the Arms Trial papers will be completed, and if we can have a debate on them in the House. Does the Leader have that information today?
The Order of Business is agreeable to us. Yesterday we discussed vaccination in this country. I praised work done in the past by doctors and queried if these discussions would affect our vaccination rates. I was glad that the Minister for Health and Children recently met with the Minister for Health from Northern Ireland and discussed preventative medicine. Will the Minister for Health and Children come to the House and discuss the promotion of preventative medicine on an all-island basis? We know that our measles immunisation rate is only 80% whereas it is 97% in Romania. These are very important topics, and we need to look on them on an all-island basis. It would be helpful if we were brought up to date by the Minister on the meeting with his counterpart from the North.
I want to raise the same point as Senator Henry. I agree with her proposal that we invite the Minister for Health and Children into the House. She is quite correct that we should deal with our health problems on an all-Ireland basis. We have not been very successful to date. Our heath system is in very bad shape and what has now been reported in the media about presentations from civil servants indicates that it is under-resourced, under-staffed, under-capitalised—
These are points that can be made during the debate.
Our life expectancy is the worst in Europe. It is a very serious matter. It is not just this Government that has not dealt with problems in the health system. It is appropriate that we have a full debate with the Minister and that the terms of reference of it be broadened to include co-operation with Northern Ireland.
In view of recent incidents, will the Leader allow a further debate on water safety? At this time of the year, young people take to the water and there are many risks facing them. It is something which could be debated by way of an awareness programme.
I ask the Leader to use his influence with his senior colleague in Westmeath, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, to consider the ridiculous position in which Eircom finds itself in removing payphones in rural areas which have a social need. I know that they say the payphones are not economically viable. It is very cruel. To give an example, there is no phone within five miles of Ahakista, a little fishing hamlet in west Cork. The phone has been removed. Perhaps the Leader could intervene on that issue.
It is disingenuous and unfair for Opposition Senators to criticise the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform about crime rates etc.—
We are not dealing with that matter now. Have you a question for the Leader?
We had a very important Sex Offenders Bill through the House this week. The speakers were as scarce as teeth in a duck. It is disingenuous to complain about what the Minster for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is doing about overall crime figures.
There are two matters which I wish to raise. In the light of an on-going practice of Travellers/dealers/traders arriving in areas and demanding disturbance or goodbye money, will the Leader ask the relevant Ministers to look at these occurrences? In certain areas it costs the taxpayer money to have them moved from where they should not be. Some small businessmen are affected either by these demands or legal expenses and they are not able to recoup the costs even if they are awarded them.
Has a date been set for a discussion on the Ombudsman's report?
I welcome the Government proposals, which I read in the newspapers, on altering the adoption law allowing access to original birth certificates to adoptees when they reach 18 years of age. Does the Leader know when this will be introduced in this House?
I support Senator Cosgrave's comments. As somebody who initiated the provisions extending human rights legislation to members of the Traveller community, I certainly have a high regard for them. I understand many of the people to whom the Senator referred are from Cumbria in England and they come here and devastate the landscape. Some of them use blackmail on local communities and that is not tolerable. They leave sites in a completely unsanitary condition. The legislation needs to be considered. There are continental models which might be of assistance here. It should be possible for the Garda to charge these people at least for conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace because the aggressive behaviour on the part of some of them seems to lead to that. I say this not as somebody who is antagonistic towards genuine Travellers. These are wealthy traders who are holding the community to ransom and they should be dealt with.
I also support the calls for a debate on the health service, especially in light of the headlines in the newspapers where it appears that the Cabinet has been advised to raise health spending by £2 billion annually. This is a professional, disinterested, non-partisan voice from inside the Department of Health and Children which also states that there needs to be additional capital funding of £6 billion. That must give us all cause for concern.
I welcome the Government decision to hold its Cabinet meeting next Monday in Muckross House. I assure it of a warm welcome from the trustees and the people of Muckross and Killarney. As the House may be aware, this year Killarney is celebrating the 250th anniversary of tourism. We in Killarney have been welcoming visitors for 250 years.
I thought the Senator was there much longer than that.
Perhaps on that account the Leader would use his good offices to urge the Government to get across the message while in Killarney, perhaps on the lawns of Muckross House looking out on the lakes and the mountains, that rural Ireland is open for business—
Let us hope it makes good decisions.
Yes, I will come to that in a minute. The Government should reaffirm its commitment to tourism, confirm that it is working strongly to have the 2004 World Cycling Championships centred in Killarney and perhaps make a decision to establish a State tourism intelligence unit in Killarney, the capital of tourism.
The Leader will be aware that Members in the other House share my concern in regard to the number of small sewerage schemes which are waiting to be signed off, of which Rathmore, for instance, is a prime example. There is also the issue of the reopening of marts. I have in mind Kenmare, Cahirciveen and Milltown.
What about fishing?
I entrust these matters to the care of the Leader.
Now we know that St. Patrick never visited Killarney.
Having raised the issue of Traveller accommodation and the parallel issue of the convoys of traders who were traversing the country some months ago, I support the call by a number of Senators for a debate on this issue. I speak as a member of a local Traveller consultative committee when I say that the task of providing accommodation for local indigenous Travel lers is being made immeasurably more difficult by virtue of the havoc which is being wreaked in communities by these convoys of marauding traders traversing the country. I ask the Leader if the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will come to the House to debate this issue and advise us whether new legislation is required to deal with the problem.
I asked previously for a debate on the euro changeover and the Leader promised such a debate. I am asking again now because there is a sense of urgency about it. We are six months and one week away from the changeover to the euro and there are grave concerns about it. The Euro Changeover Board is doing a great job. Recently the Minister announced that coins would be front-loaded to the public beforehand. I mention this because there is a real fear around Europe that the system may break down within hours of the introduction of the euro currency on 1 January next unless sufficient steps are taken to deal with the matter. It would be useful to have a debate here and I urge the Leader to arrange for it in the next couple of weeks, if possible.
I note the recent polls which show support nationally, particularly in the North, for the new executives and developments which have taken place politically. However, the recent figures which show a rise in the number of punishment beatings within communities are alarming and frightening and are worthy of comment. We must be made aware of the interference this causes to the lives of many young people in communities. It is important that we should debate this with and encourage the people working within the democratic system. Democracy needs to be strengthened and structures need to be put in place to deal with the future needs of the communities. We must encourage alternatives. It is sad to see the damage which is still being done to many people. The fact that the numbers are rising is not good. Such practices need to be discouraged and democracy needs to be encouraged.
I ask the Leader of the House to ask the Minister for Public Enterprise or the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans of Bord Gáis for the Corrib gas field off the Mayo coast. There are conflicting views and conflicting announcements coming from different sources. We would like to know the definitive position. What is Bord Gáis's plan for the Corrib gas field?
Senator Manning inquired about the Arms Trial papers. I understand these will be published or announced within the next two weeks.
Senators Henry, Costello and Norris called for a debate with the Minister for Health and Children on health issues. As I said on previous occasions, I have no difficulty in providing time for this and I will discuss it with the leaders of the groups after the Order of Business.
Senator O'Donovan called for a debate on water safety and I will provide time for that. He spoke of his experience in his constituency of the removal of a telephone booth and I certainly will pass that on to the Minister.
Senators Cosgrave, Norris and Ó Fearghail called for a debate on transient Travellers and related difficulties. Senator Glynn and other Senators requested such a debate last week. They spoke of the difficulties arising where these people demand money to vacate premises and sites. I certainly will provide time for a debate over the next couple of weeks.
I understand that it was the heads of the Adoption Bill which were referred to in the newspapers. I will make further inquiries in that regard on behalf of Senator Norris.
Senator Coghlan welcomed the Government decision to meet in Killarney. I share his views on tourism. With the coverage he received throughout Europe and across the United States in recent days, I am sure former President Clinton let everybody throughout the world know that Ireland is open for tourism and that the fine weather has been bringing tourists in their thousands to our shores. The fine weather is encouraging for the domestic market in that Irish people may stay at home and enjoy it.
Senator Quinn called for a debate on the euro changeover. I certainly will allow time for this in the next two to three weeks. I understand that many companies are preparing their cash registers and associated equipment to be ready for the changeover by the end of October or early November.
I will make inquiries with the Minister on the planned Corrib gas field on behalf of Senator Caffrey and will come back to him on that.
Order of Business agreed to.