The Order of Business is No. 1, International Interests in Mobile Equipment (Cape Town Convention) Bill 2005 — Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude not later than 4 p.m.; No. 2, Maritime Safety Bill 2004 — Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 4 p.m. until 5 p.m., to resume at 7.15 p.m. and to conclude not later than 8 p.m.; and No. 17, motion 13, motion re immigrant workers, to be taken at 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
Order of Business.
The news of significant job losses from Waterford Crystal in Dungarvan and Waterford city is devastating, particularly for the 490 people who have lost their jobs. Will the Leader organise a debate following today's publication of the latest quarterly report from the Central Bank which shows that indigenous employment in this country suffers from a lack of competitiveness? Some 90% of additional export growth is generated by foreign-owned companies and not by the indigenous sector.
Waterford Crystal would be regarded by most people as one of our premier indigenous businesses. We are losing our edge and pricing ourselves out of the market and jobs are being lost. The issue should be debated at some stage over the coming weeks, particularly in light of the findings of the Central Bank report.
Our hearts go out to those who have lost their jobs today. I understand that approximately 5% of the population of Dungarvan has been directly affected by the loss of the Waterford Crystal business there. This is particularly difficult for the people in the area and the Government needs to respond.
I ask the Leader of the House to make time available for a debate on the issue of special needs. We know from travelling throughout the country that there are children and schools requiring additional help in terms of putting special needs assistance in place. It is therefore disgraceful and unbelievable that the Government should be taking 70 people out of the system by the end of this month. An explanation is required. When there is such a dramatic need for special needs assistants, why does the Government intend to let go 70 people who are working in this area? They cannot be reallocated because of the failure to put a reallocation scheme in place. We need an explanation on this matter from the Government this week.
Hear, hear.
I ask the Leader to place this item on the Order of Business tomorrow.
The Leader of the House should facilitate the making of statements in the House concerning the situation in Marino College of Education. To the best of my knowledge, the board of governors should resign from office or even be dismissed. It is a worrying "States of Fear" situation with intimidation, abuse and questionable financial transactions taking place. I want to have this situation examined from an educational point of view and because the Minister of Education and Science would have a view on why these matters have developed.
The college president and three other people have challenged the authorities at various stages. One found himself sent to darkest Africa, as might occur in feudal times. The college president and another individual were requested and required to submit themselves for psychological and psychiatric examination. Another individual was told to reconsider his position and the last was told he could look forward to no further promotion.
It is not appropriate that I should go into the details now, but questions were raised about why a surplus of State funds found itself in the same account from which were bought at least four apartments owned by the college. I want to know why State money should be in such a situation.
The Senator should not go into such detail.
I will not outstay my welcome on the issue. I was trying to give some idea of it and I will not go any further except to state that there were financial implications attached to a situation where the college president questioned why the list of employed staff differed from the list of actual staff. This led to questions which in turn led to total intimidation, abuse and bullying which has ultimately led to a star of the Irish primary education system feeling the need to resign her position as college president. Much needs to be discussed here and I want the opportunity to do so. The events that are taking place are outrageous and the Department of Education and Science cannot wash its hands of it. It is more than it can tolerate.
We would benefit from a reasonably calm debate on what is the matter with much of our indigenous industry and what are its problems. Its "slash and burn" mentality was well articulated by the Dungarvan workers that I heard being interviewed, who spoke about the enormous efforts they had made as well as the suddenness and apparent brutality of the closure announcement. How is it that workers from the same background and country can be among the most productive in the world when they are working for a properly-run multinational, paid roughly the same wages and subject to the same national wage agreements? However, when they work for what is described as indigenous enterprise they become uncompetitive. There is a partnership approach in this country in which workers and trade unionists have an obligation to play their part. However, there are serious questions about the capacity of what is called native enterprise to rise to the challenge of a global economy. It is an issue in which the Government has a central role to play.
The Government must educate employers who have had a very easy time of it over the past ten years with a booming economy, who have suddenly been confronted with the reality of world economics and who are taking the easiest, shortest and most brutal way out of their difficulties. These employers are de-skilling this country because when the cut glass market turns around, the industry will not be able to automatically recruit people because it is skilled work that takes years to master. The abolition of these jobs means that this country will lose the skills associated with them forever. We need to examine the role of indigenous enterprise and whether it is actually seriously enterprising.
A particular horrific crime took place the night before last in my home city of Cork. A young family, including a woman who was six months pregnant, was held hostage. It appears from what has been reported by the Garda that the people arrested in connection with the crime all have one thing in common, apart from being psychopathic thugs. They were all closely connected with the self-styled republican movement. I am tired of seeing senior figures in this movement marching behind paramilitary displays and boasting of the heroism of what they call Oglaigh na h-Éireann. There was nothing heroic about the crime that took place in Cork two nights ago. It was a brutal and squalid criminal act and I would be horrified if my fellow countrymen and women would vote for a political party that regards people like the perpetrators of this crime as anything other than the brutal thugs they are. To subject a woman, who is six months pregnant, and four children to such an ordeal is a disgrace to any concept of republicanism that I ever heard or inherited.
On Private Members' business only two weeks ago in this House we debated a Government motion congratulating itself on all it achieved in the area of education over the past two or three years. At the same time, the Minister for Education and Science must have been aware that she and her Department were in the process of dismissing 70 special needs teachers. A partially completed report clearly indicates the need for 175 additional special needs teachers, as well as the need to further increase that figure.
We now witness the dismissal of experienced and dedicated people who have offered their services for the past few years. How can any Government claim to be serious about its commitment to special needs education when it sanctions these dismissals? I support those Senators who have asked the Minister for Education and Science to come to this House and clearly indicate her intention to reverse this decision and retain these special needs teachers as staff of the Department of Education and Science so they can benefit children in need of their services.
I endorse Senator Ryan's comments regarding the events that took place in Cork two days ago. I know the couple in question well and know that the family has suffered extreme trauma as a result of this crime. I am also tired of expressing my views in this House regarding the activities of the so-called republican movement. If this crime is its version of democracy and advancing its case, we are in a very sorry state. It is time for people who have remained silent on these issues to stand up and be counted and send a clear message that it is not acceptable for Sinn Féin or the republican movement to give comfort or succour to the people who perpetrated this crime. I also congratulate the gardaí on the swift and successful way in which they dealt with this crime.
Debate adjourned.