Skip to main content
Normal View

Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 23 Nov 2006

Vol. 185 No. 7

Order of Business.

The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on the Estimates, which will be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business and conclude no later than 2.30 p.m., with the contributions of Senators not to exceed 15 minutes each and the Minister to be called upon to reply no later than ten minutes before the conclusion of the statements; No. 2, Prisons Bill 2006 — Second Stage (Resumed), to be taken at 2.30 p.m. and to conclude no later than 5 p.m., with contributions of Senators not to exceed ten minutes and the Minister to be called upon to reply no later than ten minutes before the conclusion of Second Stage; and No. 3, Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2006 — Report and Final Stages, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2 or at 5 p.m., if No. 2 has not concluded earlier.

I ask the Cathaoirleach to forgive me for being parochial this morning if I raise a matter of great concern to people in south and west Dublin. A hole in the road yesterday evening caused the entire south and west of the city to be caught in a traffic gridlock for about four or five hours. While I acknowledge that emergency works must be carried out, the idea that one hole in a road in south Dublin can cause such chaos to commuters and their families is a matter of public concern. It also highlights the fragility of our transport system in this city. There is no public transport system worth talking about and motorists have to use the road. Will the Government bring forward promised legislation on the Dublin transport authority and, more importantly, ensure motorists are given adequate warning of these emergency issues as they arise, in particular with reference to motorways?

My understanding is that works on the upgrade are not taking place on a 24-seven basis. It is crazy that in the case of such a major piece of infrastructure, no work takes place on Saturdays and Sundays or in the evenings, when there is less traffic. If we are serious in our attitude to public infrastructure, a system must be devised to ensure road projects such as this are built on a 24-seven basis until the work is completed. This is an important issue upon which we should reflect.

I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Transport for information on a very serious case which arose yesterday in Dungarvan District Court. A number of fines were struck out on the basis that the gardaí did not have the original copy of the offence notice to produce in court. Will amending legislation be introduced to deal with this matter? Will the Government appeal this decision to a higher court? What is the current position? The penalty points system forms the basis for trying to improve driver behaviour and performance. This is an example of botched legislation by the Minister for Transport who once again has been shown to be unable to bring effective legislation through both Houses to introduce the types of penalties that would change driver behaviour. The Minister has put amending legislation through this House twice already. Perhaps it is a case of third time unlucky.

It is appalling that work on the M50 is not carried out at weekends. However, I passed by one night recently at 3 a.m. and people were working on the motorway but they were not there four hours earlier. I came to the conclusion they must start work after the pubs close. Generally speaking, they are not working there at weekends.

This House has discussed on a number of occasions the problems arising from children coping with autism. Those difficulties arose from the Department of Education and Science failing to deal with the educational rights and needs of those children. What happened when the Oireachtas or the Department did not deal with those rights and needs? They finished up in the courts. Court judgments then determined how the State would operate in this area. A court judgment in Cork led to the appointment of special needs assistants and a range of other support structures in schools. These came in an unplanned manner as a reaction to the judgment.

Two days ago, a judge found against the Department of Education and Science when it provided a different certificate to students with dyslexia who had completed the leaving certificate. It had a conditional element to it which stated that while the certificate was issued, it should be noted that the student was not tested in spelling, grammar or syntax. I do not know where this will bring us. The Department of Education and Science is going to appeal this to a higher court. This should not or cannot be the way things are done. It is an appallingly bad way of dealing with this issue.

Hear, hear.

Children with dyslexia and their families have enough to cope with without wondering how their leaving certificate will be perceived. They do not want to be worrying about going to court to defend their rights.

This House had a major debate on education. Senators from all sides of the House argued that the education system should be rights-based. We all fought for it, but the Government did not concede it. However, the Government made a good case and said it would deal with it in a proper manner and a supportive fashion. This is the first real test. The Department says it is going to the courts to get clarity. That is not the way to find clarity. The Department needs to determine how it is going to deal with this issue. There is a problem, but it needs to find a solution. The parents of children with dyslexia should not need to drag the State through the courts so that they may get educational equality. Members spoke in debates on the issue about inclusion, integration and support structures for people with special needs. The current approach by the State is not the way to proceed. I ask the Department to reconsider. I would like the Minister to explain to the House what the Department is doing and what the other options are.

I do not think Senator Brian Hayes was being in the least bit parochial when he mentioned yesterday's traffic problems. Fortunately, I did not have to use a car yesterday. The issue is not what happened in Dublin; rather, it is the perception senior public administrators have about their responsibilities to the public. They do not have to think through the consequences of their decisions. When they need to dig a hole in a road, they go through the necessary formulae and do nothing further. What happened yesterday was an example of their indifference to the public and its need to know.

When I returned to Dublin after my short absence from this House in 1997, I could see that traffic was a problem in the city. The planners and organisers in Dublin seem to think that a road can be closed without enormous consequences for the public. The disruption we witnessed yesterday is what happens when a city is full. I do not want to talk about Dublin traffic. I want to talk about the decision making and communications systems of senior public officials which seem to be sadly deficient.

I am seeking a debate on ethics in our society. Two different issues which relate to this have emerged recently. The council on science and innovation has released a report on medical research. While much in the report is good, it also contains a most unfortunate recommendation. It states that Ireland needs to become a location of choice for medical trials and that the country is losing such trials to other locations where securing ethical approval is less cumbersome.

I know why we have cumbersome approval mechanisms. The son of a friend of mine died in a medical trial 25 years ago. He was homeless and down on his luck at the time and certain inducements were offered to people to take part in medical trials. It was out of his death that we put together good regulations for clinical trials. When scientists, including me, are let loose on issues like this without ethical constraints, that is the daft kind of recommendation they come up with. I do not think Ireland should become an easy place to conduct medical trials. That is the direct opposite of what we want. I would like to debate that report. I know there are Members on all sides of the House who would be wary about making it easier for drugs to be trialled on people. When such trials are held, it is always the most vulnerable and least able to defend themselves who are on the receiving end of them. No matter what fine words might be said, if we do not have vigorous ethical regulation, there will be misuse, abuse and victimisation.

Related to this is the fact that our National Pensions Reserve Fund, which is now perhaps the biggest single investor in the country, has no ethical limitations on what it does with our money. Its counterpart in Norway, which uses both income tax and other tax revenues to build up a similar fund, has ethical constraints and manages to do very well. Our pensions reserve fund can be invested in the arms industry, about which we are so concerned because of the proliferation of arms in this country. It can be invested in embryonic stem cell research about which many citizens are very concerned. Indeed it may have to be invested there because it is required to invest in areas where the returns are greatest. If returns are greatest in some of these dubious areas of investment, it must invest there. I appeal to the Government to introduce ethical guidelines for the National Pensions Reserve Fund. It is a way of doing good in the world, and it is also a way of ensuring our consciences are not affronted by what our pensions reserve fund is used for.

That is one recipe for ensuring that we will not have a pension fund for the future.

That is rubbish.

That is absolute nonsense. It is more a reflection on the Senator's ethics than it is on the issue.

Senator Leyden should not be trying to initiate a debate. The Senator should not smile either.

The Senator should save the smiles and the blushes.

I will find the Cathaoirleach's ruling difficult to adhere to.

Whether the Senator finds it difficult or not, he will have to adhere to it.

I accept that. However, it is in order to respond to——

No. It is definitely not in order to respond.

That is the Leader's job.

It is for the Leader, not Senators, to respond. I hope Senator Leyden bears that in mind.

I offer my apologies. Can the Leader arrange a debate next week on the Estimates for adult and further education?

We are having such a debate this morning.

I am seeking a debate specifically on education and not on the Estimates as a whole. This is the 40th anniversary of the introduction of free education by Donogh O'Malley under Seán Lemass.

Of what party were they members?

I also want to recognise that Niamh Bhreathnach, as Minister for Education and Science under Albert Reynolds and a Fianna Fáil-led Government, introduced free fees at third level.

I wish to raise a point of order. The Senator is deliberately misleading the House. That occurred under a Fine Gael-Labour-Democratic Left Government.

That is not correct. It occurred under Niamh Bhreathnach and a Fianna Fáil-led Government.

Does the Senator have a question on the Order of Business?

No, the Senator is wrong. It occurred under the following Government. The Senator should sit down.

I am not wrong.

Some time ago Members were invited to Buswells Hotel by the Irish Postmasters Union. Its members were concerned about the closure of post offices throughout the country. They were also concerned about the loss of income.

The House will be aware that recently the European Court of Justice notified the Minister for Social and Family Affairs that next year, the €50 million social welfare contract will go to open tender. It is anticipated An Post is likely to lose the contract because the Department wants to move to the electronic transfer-type system. In that context, we must be concerned that next year we will see an acceleration in the closure of post offices around the country. The post office is the heart of many local rural communities. In many cases elderly people visit the post office once a week to collect their social welfare payments. Approximately 70% of such payments are processed by post offices.

I am very concerned about the future of rural Ireland if we see the demise of those post offices. In addition, the link between the post office and elderly people has been very valuable and I worry about the future in that regard. I ask the Minister to come to the House to explain what is likely to happen. I would also like to hear his view on the European Court of Justice decision.

I support Senator O'Toole in regard to the issue he raised on which we should have a further discussion. I ask the Leader to try to arrange a debate with the Minister for Education and Science on her Department's assessment procedures and how it carries out assessments, particularly in State examinations where the problem lies. Another discussion on how we assess special needs students at junior and senior levels is overdue. Rather than going back to the courts, this is a way forward. I have no doubt the Minister would agree with our thinking in that regard and I would like her to come to the House to clarify the situation.

Perhaps we should have a further discussion on adult education and the direction in which we are going because there are many pitfalls in this area as well as duplication of courses which should be streamlined. A full discussion with the Minister on all these issues would be very worthwhile.

I ask the Leader to find a way to move forward the Civil Partnership Bill. It is very important it is moved forward if we are to be taken seriously as legislators. The Government has procrastinated on this in an extraordinary fashion. The matter has been referred to various committees, including the Oireachtas All-Party Committee on the Constitution reviewing the family. It reported along lines very similar to the Bill before this House. There is also the Colley advisory committee. Reports in today's newspapers indicate it is very much on track with the Bill. The courts continually reprove the Oireachtas for leaving these important legislative decisions for judicial decisions. Having become the laggard of Europe in this regard, it is important we move forward.

I call for a debate on the Middle East for a particular reason. I had reason to speak to the Israeli ambassador in recent days and to bring to his attention illegal demolitions taking place in the area around south Hebron, including in the village of At-Tuwani. He attempted to be helpful but pleaded difficulties of various kinds. Yesterday I received copies of military notices indicating demolition orders. These are against the most vulnerable people, that is, Palestinian subsistence farmers living in caves. Rudimentary attempts to provide them with the most basic sanitary and water arrangements have been demolished by the Israeli army while parallel illegal Israeli settlements are accommodated and provided with water and sewerage treatment facilities. This ties in with a report in the newspapers today that 39% of these settlements not only break international law but break Israeli law as determined by the Israeli high court as far back as 1979, that is, that these settlements must not be built on land owned by Palestinians. It is important this House continues to monitor the situation.

I have come from a meeting, to which I must return, at which a presentation is being made by Mr. David Kilgour, a Member of the Canadian Parliament and a highly respected figure, on organ harvesting in China. The meeting was facilitated by Senator O'Toole and myself. It is important we take up this matter because it is appalling to think there have been 60,000 organ transplants in a situation where only a couple of thousand prisoners have been executed. Nobody in China is officially prepared to say from where these organs come. It is clear prisoners are held and their organs are harvested. Even the words used are appalling. One can order organs from people who are still alive and people will be killed to order to provide organs. This issue is important because some of the newspapers here, including the Irish Independent, have a policy of thrashing this type of material. Last week there was a disgraceful article by some little pimple in that newspaper whose name I cannot even remember who derided the Dali Lama. This House should look at what was said.

I completely agree with Senator Ryan on the need to introduce ethical constraints. It is only fair, for example, to those who govern the National Pensions Reserve Fund. If they are charged with making as much money as possible, then they could be held accountable if they do not invest in dubious enterprises. I have been in contact with the Sudan divestment group and I had a very useful meeting on this issue last week with the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan. He indicated the issue is being looked at and that there is a United Nations protocol advising on it, although it is not mandatory. The Green Party has legislation before the other House in that regard. I am co-operating in the introduction of a protocol seeking ethical considerations in terms investments, as I am sure will Senator Ryan and other Members. I believe there will be all-party agreement on this issue.

I, too, wish to take up the question of ethical issues. There was a time when people who focused on such issues were depicted as old-fashioned, irrelevant, not politically correct, out of step with the economic culture and so on. This created a vacuum which was often filled by vested interests who wanted to promote an issue contrary to beliefs of people in this country. Recently I have noticed creeping into newspaper articles and such like the idea that we should in some way accept nuclear power as an option even though we know the majority of people do not agree with it. The same can be said of neutrality. There has been a chipping away at the stand the country has taken down through the years. There are also ethical issues in respect of Iraq and the Third World. It is important we continue to debate these issues.

Senator Ryan mentioned medical experiments. There was not only the case he mentioned but there have been several cases where people, who were obviously not in a position to look after themselves financially, were induced to take part in medical experiments with disastrous results. There is, however, a change of attitude in this country and that old order is gone. People expect legislators, in particular, to come to the fore and to debate these issues.

The court decision two days ago in regard to students with dyslexia is welcome because it highlights once again this Government's lack of concern about people with special needs. Traditionally, people with special needs were given an advantage at examinations. They were given special attention to help them through examinations on medical or educational grounds. The fact the Department has said it will challenge this decision to a higher court is difficult for people to accept, particularly the parents and children who have achieved much by proceeding in the educational system and sitting the leaving certificate. Having a supplementary addendum to their leaving certificates highlighting the assistance to bring it to the attention of those who may seek their results is disgraceful. This is a new departure. The fact that it has happened without intervention by the Minister is a further disgrace.

Hear, hear.

I hope the Minister will reconsider going to a further court to reverse that decision and provide support for people with special needs rather than highlighting it again in the courts. Let us consider this Government's history on special needs. The first Disability Bill was withdrawn. On the second Bill the Government fought tooth and nail to deny the rights of those people in all areas, especially their entitlement to equal status.

The Senator has made a good case for a debate.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I ask that the Minister come to this House and explain why she supports such an idea.

I want to follow on the issue raised by Senator Finucane of post offices in small communities and rural areas. I would like to ascertain whether it will be possible to get the Minister to discuss with us how the situation will be dealt with. In Carrigaholt, west Clare, the post office closed some time ago. The salary for a new person to take up the job is so small that it is tantamount to closing the office. As Senator Finucane said, the life blood of many smaller communities depends on the post office, the Garda station and schools. In Carrigaholt there is a belief that An Post, by offering such a meagre salary for this position, intends to close the office, which would be devastating for the village. We could usefully debate this issue with the Minister.

I have raised the issue of domestic violence on a number of occasions in the House.

It will be debated next week.

I heard that from Mr. Eamonn McCormack and I thank the Leader, who is also interested in that area. I was prompted to raise it again when Senator Quinn yesterday expressed his concern and sorrow at the death of that lovely, young Latvian woman, Ms Baiba Saulite, in north Dublin. He said after it had been mentioned once in the House, it would be forgotten. That was incorrect, and I am sure Senator Quinn was not castigating us for that. Her death will not be forgotten. It will continue to upset me that she and 124 other women were murdered in the past ten years. Last September we all received a booklet from Women's Aid informing us about the campaign that will take place over the next two weeks to highlight domestic abuse. According to the booklet, 123 women have been murdered in the past ten years. That number is now 125. Two more were murdered since September, that Latvian woman being the most recent. These women suffer the final blow and die. Many thousands of women suffer silently and some of them will eventually be murdered. We are not coming to grips with it. We could link that with the level of serious crime, where life means nothing, where somebody can walk up with his face uncovered and shoot a woman in her home. What has this country come to?

Senators

Hear, hear.

We must get to grips with it. We will not forget that lovely Latvian woman, her two young children and all the other women. What will we do about it? I welcome the opportunity to debate this fully next week.

I ask the Leader for a debate on the economy. The Economist publication for 2007 has been issued and Ireland is again shining with a gross domestic product, GDP, per person far in excess of our European neighbours, which shows we have done things right. GDP is not the only measure of success. Another measure is the sharing of that wealth and that is why I would welcome a debate on the economy in which to look forward and say where we got it right, for example by investing in education in the 1960s or neutrality. It is difficult to look after the less well-off while spending 3% or 4% of one’s GDP on defence.

Hear, hear.

Over decades we have ensured that money has been expended for all the people of this country. I would like a debate to focus on the economy, education and the need for continued spending in that area. Now that we have become a wealthy nation, we must examine research and innovation.

I support Senator Finucane's comments on the Government's support of An Post's closure of small, rural post offices. This is having a devastating effect on rural communities, especially on elderly people living in remote rural areas. Last Monday An Post used a heavy hand to take services from Moyne post office in north County Longford. This was a shameful attack on a family that has given three generations of postal service to the community. It is wrong and should not happen. The Deputies in the midlands cried crocodile tears on the issue and pretended to set up meetings with the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey. However we know the Minister is fully behind An Post's closure of the small, rural post offices in this country. He will regret that day because people in rural areas are waiting in the long grass to attack the Government on this issue.

Does Senator Bannon have a question?

I wish to raise another matter, which I have raised on several occasions. Will the Leader explain why we never debated the Barr report on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. John Carthy in Abbeylara on Holy Thursday 2000? Tonight a book on this topic written by a journalist will be launched by a former Taoiseach in Longford. We set up tribunals at huge expense to the State.

Senators

Hear, hear.

This tribunal cost €18 million, sat for approximately 208 days and interviewed 169 witnesses. What is the Government afraid of? Why have we not debated the Barr tribunal in either House? It is shameful and flies in the face of democracy when journalists write books on the topic while we have not debated it in the House. The report is embarrassing to the Government because of the lack of resources given to the Garda Síochána for investment in legal advice.

The Senator has made a good case for a debate.

I am entitled to call for a debate.

While I do not deny the Senator, he has made his case adequately and astutely.

A case should be made for that debate to take place as soon as possible.

Hear, hear.

I support the calls for a debate on the delivery of services. The post office has been mentioned. Will the Leader arrange a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the delivery of services at local government level and the funding of local government? At a recent meeting of North Tipperary County Council, the county manager stated that he could not deliver the service to which councillors and the people of North Tipperary were entitled because of lack of funding. The councillors were dealing with the planning process, the bane of the lives of all public representatives. The county manager was prevented from hiring additional staff to provide a proper planning service because of the Government embargo on recruitment. Is that a satisfactory state of affairs during an unprecedented economic boom?

Without stealth taxes and local charges imposed on those in rural areas we would have a crisis in local government. At the 11th hour, planners must seek additional information or issue a refusal because they do not have enough time to deal with all planning matters. This is disgraceful and the public deserves better. I call for a debate and for the Minister to debate the delivery, quality and funding of local government services.

During the autumn we have been preoccupied with the issues of road deaths, road safety, speeding and drink driving. It is very frustrating when cases are thrown out on technicalities. Justice is supposed to be an even scales but it seems that the feather of a technicality weighs evenly with or even more than the substance of an offence. We ought to review the administration of the law to ensure this does not happen as frequently as it does.

I agree with Senator Coonan's comments on the funding of local authorities. What is the status of the Government's commitment, given prior to the last election, to reduce numbers in the public service? Last year there was an increase of 14,000 in the number of people employed yet crucial services, such as local authorities, are suffering. Senator Coonan referred to planning offices that cannot employ additional staff.

I agree with Senator Terry's call for a debate on serious crime. Two serious incidents occurred in the past few days and another occurred in the Dublin mountains. This morning we heard of a shooting incident in Drogheda. It would be opportune if the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform explained to the House the action he will take.

Senator Brian Hayes need not fear that the issue he raised was parochial. It became a national issue, as reported by RTE. We all know someone caught in the gridlock for four hours because of a hole in the road. Senator Hayes asked about legislation for the Dublin transport authority. I will make inquiries. The Senator also asked why work cannot be done on roads 24 hours a day. We see work carried out on many roads at night. The spokesperson on the radio this morning said it was often unsafe to work at night despite using searchlights and other apparatus. It should certainly be done at weekends but I do not know if it is feasible to work through the night. Sometimes the weather is so foul it cannot be done.

Senator Hayes also asked about Dungarvan District Court and whether amending legislation is needed. It seems it is necessary but I will check. The charge was dismissed when the original copy of the offence notice could not be produced. This sounds so futile a reason that I find it difficult to understand.

Senator O'Toole referred to autism and how it was dealt with by the appointment of SNAs. The dyslexia matter seemed a contrary issue but the idea of another court case, which may rule in favour of the Department, seems crass. I hope the appeal does not go ahead. There is an ingrained approach in the Civil Service that when one loses a court case it is automatically appealed to a higher level. Expensive barristers and solicitors are hired.

It is not the money of the Civil Service.

As Minister for Education I intervened a number of times, pointing out that the Department would not win. It requires such intervention.

Senator Ryan referred to senior public administrators. I was struck by the man to whom he referred, who sounded like a nice person. He was caught out badly because they had not told radio stations or alerted the Automobile Association of Ireland.

They had, according to Mr. Conor Faughnan, but there was insufficient publicity.

People drove home without knowing what was ahead of them. The senior administrators do not take into account the fact that ordinary people will be discommoded. Senator Ryan stated that an update of the communications system was needed.

The Senator also seeks a debate on ethics because we are losing out on funding due to the ethical regulation of our medical trials. Long may they remain in place. Firms must run trials on drugs but it is correct that they are governed by ethics.

Senator Ryan raised a valid point in respect of the National Pensions Reserve Fund. It has no ethical guidelines in respect of where it invests our money. The idea that it must invest where it will potentially receive the greatest return is a constraint. We object to the arms race and we have debates on the Middle East. However, our money may be funding the arms trade and embryonic stem cell research. I do not know what Department we could invite for the debate.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs.

There is no point in having the debate without the Department of Finance.

The National Pensions Reserve Fund is under the aegis of the Department of Finance.

With regard to Senator Leyden, I do not wish to smile either.

The Leader should reply to what was legitimately raised.

The Senator sought a debate on adult education, which we will endeavour to have. Next week is the last week the Minister of State at the Department of Education, Deputy de Valera, will be in the Houses and it would be good to have someone of her calibre here.

Senator Finucane referred to the closure of post offices. The European diktat insists that the service must be put to tender. Warnings have been issued for the past ten years and Ireland keeps passing them on to the post offices. If the postal service cannot win the tender in an open market, post offices will close. The Government does not seek this, despite what other contributors have said. This €50 million contract keeps post offices going in many rural areas. Certain people always talk about how we must save our post offices, a point with which I agree. However, do we always use them? Do people who live in rural areas with small post offices within their catchment areas carry out their business in them? Senator Finucane said post offices are the heartbeat of a community in rural Ireland, which is a very good phrase. Post offices are the heartbeat of rural communities but they will grind to a halt if people do not use them, if the €50 million contract is lost or if the European dictum in respect of social welfare is implemented.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs wishes everyone to receive their payments electronically. This is fine in theory but many people in rural areas, particularly elderly people, do not wish to avail of this option. Rather than go to a bank they want to go to a place where they know the man or woman behind the counter who will give them their pensions and engage in social interaction.

It is a social occasion.

It is very positive. I hope the European knife does not fall this year because it will have an awful effect on post offices.

Senator Ormonde argued that we could look at how State examinations are assessed and possibly take away the likelihood of the damning indictment relating to dyslexia. So many very worthwhile people in the public arena have dyslexia and have made a great success of their lives. I remember meeting the actress, Susan Hampshire, who told me she was dyslexic. She spoke about the great struggles she endured to be accepted and how she overcame them. Senator Ormonde echoed Senator Leyden's call for a debate on adult education in this House.

Senator Norris called for progress in respect of civil partnerships. Next week, the Government will consider a report commissioned by it on this issue. We will see what happens after that. Senator Norris also called for a debate on the Middle East and the demolition orders issued by Israel which are affecting vulnerable people. He also raised the issue of organ harvesting in China, which is chilling in the extreme.

Senator Ó Murchú spoke about the need for a debate on ethical issues and nuclear power. We constantly encounter sentences in articles which are part of a softening up process in respect of nuclear power as an option, neutrality and other issues which we are made to feel are old-fashioned or no longer relevant.

Senator Ulick Burke mentioned the court decision in respect of the two students with dyslexia and I agree with him that it should not be appealed. I will inform the Minister's office about what was said here today about this issue. Senator Daly spoke about the demise of post offices, particularly the post office in Carrigaholt.

Senator Terry spoke about domestic violence, a debate for which she has continually asked. That 125 women have been murdered in ten years and that so many more have nearly been murdered is so quickly forgotten. It is difficult to read the article in the Irish Independent today which states that the husband of the murdered Latvian woman is a suspect. He has a cast-iron alibi but was obviously able to direct operations.

Senator Hanafin called for a debate on the economy. We are about to hold one on the Estimates now and we held an excellent debate last night during Private Members' business. The Senator is looking at a particular angle, namely, research and innovation, but the Minister for Finance has been very strong in respect of the fourth level of education. I have read all the fine words he has said about it. I am sure Senator Hanafin will speak during this morning's debate on the Estimates.

Senator Coonan spoke about the funding of local government and county managers. Planners take the easy way out. They do not get their files and send out registered letters stating the need for further information on the day before the due date. It is only a ploy and has nothing to do with the funding of local government. Planners are quite careless in how they deal with planning. I can never understand how planners do not see how a small planning application for a house for a man, woman or couple is a matter of life or death at that time. It is a terrible situation.

Senator Bannon spoke about small rural post offices and pointed out the position of Moyne post office, which as Senators know, is very dear to me. He also asked about the Barr report. We have tried to raise this matter every week. The Minister wishes to come to the House but therein lies the difficulty because he is very busy. He will come to the House again this afternoon in respect of the Prisons Bill 2006 and will return to the House next week where, depending on how long it takes, he wishes to oversee Committee Stage. It is not that we do not want to discuss the report. We wish to discuss it but the Minister wishes to be here when we do so. I am also invited to the launch of "Death on a Holy Thursday" but sadly cannot attend. I am sure it will be a rip-roaring success.

Senator Bannon will represent her.

Stop that.

Senator Mansergh spoke about road deaths, road safety, justice and the evenness of the scales of justice. It seems that in the case to which he referred the technicality weighs more heavily than the offence.

In respect of one of the issues raised by Senator John Paul Phelan, I am informed that for people such as those who are disabled or ill who wish to vote by post, the date has been pushed back in concurrence with the other date set. The Senator also called for a debate on serious crime.

Order of Business agreed to.
Top
Share