The Order of Business is No. 1, Finance Bill 2008 — Second Stage; No. 2 Passports Bill 2007 — Committee Stage; and No. 3, Private Members' Bill, Protection of Employees (Agency Workers)(No. 2) Bill 2008 — Second Stage. It is proposed that No. 1 be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and adjourned not later than 3.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, spokespersons may speak for ten minutes and all other Senators for eight minutes, and Senators may share time with the agreement of the house; No. 2 to be taken not earlier than 3.30 p.m. and to adjourn at 5.00 p.m., if not previously concluded, spokespersons to speak for 12 minutes and all other Senators for eight minutes, and Senators may share time with the agreement of the House; No. 3 to be taken at the conclusion of No. 2 and to conclude not later than 7.00 p.m — No. 1 to resume if not previously concluded. The business of the House to be interrupted between 1.30 p.m. and 2.00 p.m.
Order of Business.
Many people will have heard RTE's report this morning on the figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, showing that €560,000 was spent last year on the trips by Ministers for St. Patrick's Day. Quoting figures spent abroad does not always do service to the work that can be done. Nonetheless, anyone listening to this morning's report would recognise the excess. If the same attention to detail and standards was paid by Ministers to our public services, they would serve the public well. As regards the trips abroad, I want to mention the Taoiseach's visit to the United States this year, where he plans to attend a dinner with a sexist all-male organisation the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, based in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania——
There will be a dig-out there as well.
Senator Fitzgerald without interruption, please.
There will be a lack of women at the dinner. I notice that recently a judge in that area boycotted the organisation. The only point I make is that I would have hoped, in an era when we have brought in equality legislation in recent years, the Taoiseach would have made a different choice when choosing to represent us in the United States than an organisation with an all-male membership policy, despite the charitable work which I am aware it does. It is a poor choice and I hope it will not be repeated.
I want to raise another issue that is of concern to all of us, namely, the cost of child care. This matter has been discussed here on a number of occasions. Many Members will be aware that child care facilities have been hit with very high rates demands in recent weeks. An example in my area is Fonthill Lodge crèche in Lucan, which paid €10,145 in rates in 2007, but has seen an increase of 85% to €17,845. This is causing major concern because of the impact it will have on running child care facilities. The possibility exists to exempt child care units of this type because they are educational facilities. The National Children's Nurseries Association, NCNA, is meeting the Minister later this week to express its concern and I ask the Leader, and the deputy Leader, to raise the matter with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in order that the issue might be looked at and consideration given to excluding child care facilities and crèches from these high rates demands on the grounds that they are educational facilities. This would make sense, certainly for parents who pay so much for child care facilities.
In terms of the cost of travel, there were two items on "RTE News" this morning. One was the cost of sending Ministers abroad and the exorbitant cost of hiring a full aeroplane and canvassing all over Europe to send a few asylum seekers back to Africa. The latter cost double the price of sending the Ministers abroad. RTE should get its act together on the relative importance of issues, if it believes the second item on the news should be about Ministers going abroad for St. Patrick's Day. I am a disinterested party in this. I would not want to waste my St. Patrick's Day by watching a parade in a distant city and drinking green beer afterwards with the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, or whatever. I am grateful to those Ministers who give their time to doing that. It is crucially important work that goes with the ministerial portfolio. It is important culturally and in terms of diplomacy, business, the national profile, tourism development and connecting to our diaspora, including emigrant groups, around the world. This work should and must be done by Ministers and I offer them my full support. RTE should consider this and ask whether the money is well spent — I certainly believe it is.
I take Senator Fitzgerald's point that the groups the Ministers meet bear some re-examination, but that is a slightly different issue. On the weekend of St. Patrick's Day abroad, people feel more Irish. I was railroaded into duty in this regard once when I happened to be in a foreign country that a Minister was not able to visit. The embassy officials and the Irish-connected Vice President of that country, who knew I was present, urged me to review the parade, which I did to my extraordinary embarrassment. I admire the Ministers who give up their St. Patrick's weekend for this kind of stuff.
The Director of Corporate Enforcement, Paul Appleby, has raised again the difficulty he is having in implementing our legislation requiring that we deal with directors who, for various reasons, have acted recklessly. I refer to people who, for some reason, have been found by the courts not to be fit persons for the office of director. Mr. Appleby feels he has not the authority to implement the legislation. I have a vested interest in this matter because, some years ago, I chaired the audit review group that produced recommendations on this matter. Mr. Paul Appleby was the secretary in the secretariat at the time and I worked very closely with him. The easiest way to deal with this matter is to ask the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy John McGuinness, who deals with this area and who has recently discussed regulation in the House, to indicate the needs in this area and explain how the legislation works, if it is workable, such that we can be sure that those acting as directors are fit to do so. He should state whether the legislation needs to be changed.
I was surprised and shocked to learn of the amount of effort it took to deport the Africans yesterday. One was deported from Ireland, four from France and one from Italy, amounting to a total of six, yet they were accompanied on the jet by 25 police officers, or one for each limb, at a purported cost of more than €100,000. This clearly does not represent value for money and I therefore ask the Leader to have the Minister state whether he will review the procedures for deportations.
Like Senator Fitzgerald, I want to raise the issue of the cost of St. Patrick's Day visits. I agree completely that they represent a fantastic opportunity to promote Ireland. I was on a trip to London two years ago for the St. Patrick's Day parade and was lucky enough to be on the viewing stand in Trafalgar Square. The cost of my visit was less than €100 and I am therefore perplexed regarding why we need to send a Minister to Italy at a cost of €1,600 per night. Many of us have been to Italy and will realise that one can obtain fantastic rooms for a fifth of that price. Another Minister spent €19,000 on car hire on a trip to California. One can buy a car for that price. This again does not represent value for money. At such rates, it would be cheaper to get the Garda to deport the Ministers.
On the annual chestnut of the visits abroad by Ministers on St. Patrick's Day, one must realise such visits result in a very good return for the investment made. I was a guest of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in 1989 or 1990 and the group raised $20,000 for the County Roscommon Association for the Mentally Handicapped.
That does not justify it. The group excludes women.
The group built Cherry House and there was no discrimination between boys and girls in the school.
The Leader and I were in Canada in the year in question and, as far as I can recall, the Leader led the parade. This contributed greatly to tourism from overseas.
I am not against that but it does not justify the trip.
Another junket.
There is a certain envy in this regard: we are in, they are out, and we are there.
The Senator should speak on the Order of Business.
Senator Leyden likes junkets. Did he ever pay for a taxi?
When does the Leader expect the 28th amendment to the Constitution to be debated in the House? Does he know the date of the referendum on the Lisbon reform treaty? I feel it will be held at some time towards the end of May, probably on 29 May, or 6 June. It is better to deal with it as quickly as possible and have a full debate thereon.
In the legislation on the Lisbon treaty, our stance on neutrality is clear. This old chestnut has been brought up again by those who are opposed to the treaty. Neutrality and corporation tax are excluded and the treaty will not affect them. It is vitally important to note that there will be no change to our position on the legalisation of abortion in Ireland. At a meeting of the Council of Europe in Paris yesterday, which I attended on behalf of the Oireachtas, there was a debate on a report by Austrian rapporteur Gisela Wurm of the Socialist Group. I proposed that the report, entitled "Access to Safe and Legal Abortion in Europe", not be debated. A vote was taken and the result was 21 votes to three in favour. One member abstained. The report will now be debated at the plenary session in Strasbourg on 14 April. Regardless of whether it is accepted by the Council of Europe, which has 47 member states, it has no jurisdiction whatsoever, good, bad or indifferent, as far as the Republic of Ireland is concerned. Our constitutional amendment of 1983 and amendments thereafter state clearly that this State will not allow abortion within its shores. I want to make this clear in case anyone is trying to be mischievous——
The Senator has made his point well. Other speakers want to contribute
I just want to ensure that no mischievous individual lends credence to the report because it has been prepared by the Council of Europe. It has no jurisdiction in the Republic of Ireland. If it is adopted, I and all eight delegates from Ireland will fight strongly against it at the plenary session in Strasbourg. It should not and will not have any effect whatsoever on the Lisbon reform treaty. I put this on the record because there are those who will make every possible effort to prevent us from passing and endorsing the treaty, which is the best interest of the citizens of this State.
Last week, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Micheál Martin, accepted that the abolition of the groceries order has not resulted in a reduction in the price of groceries. Members will be aware that the abolition was effected following promises from the Competition Authority and the likes of Eddie Hobbs and a few others that consumers would each save up to €1,000 per annum. Such claims have now proven to be bogus and without foundation. The Minister did not associate himself with such promises but, unfortunately, he acted as a ringmaster in a circus charade to get rid of the important legislation.
The legislation helped to regulate the relationship between large retailers and suppliers. Sadly, I have heard accounts from suppliers that "hello money" has been reintroduced. The practice of demanding "hello money" was banned and there is now talk that it is featuring again. Suppliers are being forced to pay rental for shelf space in shops, which is wrong. I would like to hear the views of the Minister on this because the train has gone off the rails. The only effect of the abolition of the groceries order is the reduction in the price of alcohol. As we know, alcohol is being used as a loss leader and is being sold below cost, thereby leading to a lack of competition. This is having disastrous effects and I would like to hear from the Leader in this regard.
I also strongly support the call by Senator O'Toole to strengthen the powers of Mr. Paul Appleby, the Director of Corporate Enforcement, who I understand spoke again yesterday about the disqualification of directors in certain instances where they had proved to have acted with price-sensitive information, in other words, to have participated actively in insider trading. There is something wrong if there were findings of the courts and there are still persons against whom a sanction cannot be imposed where it should be. In so far as we can, I support that call to strengthen the powers, if necessary, of the Director of Corporate Enforcement. I join in the request to have the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy McGuinness, come into the House and have a debate on the matter.
I was going to bring up a point Senator Coghlan has just raised and call for a debate on the Competition Authority. The report of the authority was issued in recent weeks and there is an ongoing review of the Competition Act 2002. It would be a good service to the House if we were to have such a debate. There are questions about the remit of the Competition Authority, the fact it has grown from its original functions and has a budget much larger than it used have, and yet its productivity seems to have decreased in terms of the number of warrants it has issued and the number of witnesses it summons yearly. The issue Senator Coghlan brought up raises questions about the effectiveness of the Competition Authority and we could have a debate on how it might be better structured. It also fits in with requests made at Order of Business by other Senators on the number of regulators, the degree of regulation and the effect on competitiveness.
I also call for a debate on marine research. I do so in the context of the unfortunate fire last night at Haulbowline naval base where there was a research centre run by University College Cork doing excellent work. The importance of marine research and its future value to the economy needs to overcome setbacks such as this and a debate in this House will help the direction of that in the future. If such time could be made available, it would be a good use of the time of this House.
I ask that the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, attend this House to discuss the issue of maternity services. A review was to be completed last year in the Dublin area. In that area last year there were 8,504 deliveries for 15 delivery beds in the Coombe Hospital, there were 8,540 deliveries for ten delivery beds in Holles Street, there were 8,256 deliveries for nine beds in the Rotunda and there were 1,556 deliveries for five beds in Mount Carmel. That is a total of 26,856 babies born through 39 delivery beds in the whole of Dublin which is quite an achievement for all the women concerned. A review was to be completed in December and that has not happened yet. There was to be also a countrywide review of the maternity services. I would be interested in the Minister coming to the House to discuss this issue.
While the Minister is at that, a review of the ambulance services was to be completed last year as well and we have not received any notice of that being done. I am especially interested in the provision of ambulance services for rural towns such as Carrick-on-Suir, which does not have one, and like-sized towns too. That is important to people in my part of the country.
I also want a debate in the House at some stage on motor insurance for young people. While all road deaths are terribly regrettable, on the matter of insurance a mere 2% of deaths involve young people who are provisional licence holders and under 25. A debate on the insurance issue is overdue. I would be delighted if the Leader could accommodate that.
I strongly support Senator O'Toole's remarks about the question of politicians' trips. Normally, I find myself in agreement with Senator Fitzgerald on almost everything. I understand that in the pursuit of prudent expenditure of public money she would want to look out for that, and quite rightly so. I want to deal with the more general point. I have noticed in recent times, perhaps because of a touch of recession, that we have got to the stage where a kind of taxi-driver culture is prevailing in Ireland about politics whereby one must almost apologise for being in politics. That is a very bad habit that I am old enough to remember dates back to the foundation of the State. I can remember the old garrison mentality where people asked what would one want with that Parliament, why are they cocking themselves up there in Dublin and who do they think they are.
It is bad for us as a group to indulge that kind of populism. We are what we are, we are worth our money and we do our work. A cost-benefit analysis of attending the St. Patrick's Day parade would show that in terms of public relations, tourism and international exposure, they are the best value for money trips ever made. I speak as one who does not go on them. I would rather cut my foot off with a chainsaw than visit the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.
A bit extreme though.
Not everyone likes to travel. People speak of travel nowadays as if it were a luxury to get on a plane. Everyone travels nowadays. Such trips are quite hard work for the people concerned and are tiring. Nobody who is past the age of 24 wants to be flying around the world to meet the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. It is necessary work for the Irish people.
It is bad for politicians to indulge the kind of populism and pettiness to which I referred because it becomes a habit. RTE now follows the BBC in everything. Since the BBC is searching through people employing their relatives, then straightaway it must be done in Ireland. One would think they would come up with something original in the way of pursuing the expenditure of public money than repeating everything that is done in the BBC.
I remember years ago when I first joined RTE that with my first pay cheque I bought an old Mercedes from the great Labour Party TD, Sean Dunne. I always wanted to have a Mercedes; it cost £50. I felt obliged to ask him why he, as a Labour Party TD, was driving a Mercedes. He replied that when he drove down to Meath to meet the big farmers, he wanted them to know there was someone serious in a car coming to meet them. He made no apologies.
A few years later another Labour Party politician was targeted in Phoenix for having what it called a “yacht”. It was a small 12 ft. dinghy with a centreboard, but he was so intimidated that he seriously thought of selling it. Stop this kind of colonial populism and fear of being politicians. Stand up and be proud.
Hear, hear.
I cannot possibly match Senator Eoghan Harris.
Go on. Try.
That was the most splendid piece of rhetoric but I agree with the thrust of what he said. Ireland Inc. needs to be represented. The publicity that is gained, the highlighting of our success, our industry and everything of which we can be proud is an important function of Government and we should not be cheese-paring about it.
People need to arrive in good condition. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. I have not been on one of its visits or trips — what the newspapers call junkets — for quite a number of years, but we discussed the question of transport. All members, including the Fine Gael members, agreed that whereas it was reasonable for short trips to look at taking a more modest place in the aeroplane, for very long trips when one is expected to arrive and go immediately into a press conference, it is important to have as much comfort as possible to be efficient, not to be luxurious.
I also laughed when Senator Harris referred to the garrison mentality and the idea of who do they think they are. I must admit I came across a certain amount of that in my family. On the day I was elected to this august House, my elderly aunt had to be informed. I telephoned her and she said wearily that she could not understand why I wanted to mix with those people. She had not thought of what they thought about having to mix with me and I was in those days a very controversial figure in Irish public life.
A Senator
Some things never change.
Please ask a question to the Leader on the Order of Business.
I support strongly Senator Coghlan on the matter of the groceries order. A number of us stood up against its abolition stating nothing would change or prices would increase and that commercial life, especially for small business people, would be seriously damaged. I believe that has happened. Even worse, it has facilitated alcoholic drink offers if not below-cost selling of alcohol. We need to look at this again. Those of us who raised questions about it at that time have been extraordinarily justified by the statement by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin. In fact, Senator Coghlan anticipated something I was going to say.
Owing to other matters, I did not get an opportunity yesterday, which was the first sitting day after the appalling event, to raise the slaughter of students in Yeshiva in Jerusalem. I am critical of the Israeli state. I am critical of the settlers — Yeshiva has connections with the settlers — but that is absolutely no justification to go into what is effectively a school and slaughter innocent young people. I unreservedly condemn it. I put this in a press statement I issued, but it has never been taken up. I do not believe I can be pilloried, as I sometimes am, as being unfair and not even-minded with regard to this situation when routinely this kind of material is not taken up by the press. It was also a tragic day for Palestinians because they have an unanswerable moral case about the conditions in Gaza and the disproportionate use of military intervention against them. The action of that lone gunman in Jerusalem has made the position of persons like myself who wish to fight for their human rights immensely more difficult. I extend my sympathies to the families of those young people whose lives were so wilfully taken from them.
I wish to express my concern about the deteriorating humanitarian, political and economic situation in Zimbabwe. I draw the attention of the House to recent releases from the aid agencies indicating widespread shortages of food and medical supplies. Public services have collapsed. Hospital services and medical supports are non-existent. There is hyper-inflation, widespread poverty and high mortality rates. There is no doubt that Zimbabwe is in crisis.
I draw Members' attention to No. 31 on the Order Paper. An amendment has been tabled to that motion, but I do not know if the proposers of the amendment intend to press it. I ask if the House would agree to adopt the motion without debate if the amendment is not pushed. Mr. Mugabe was disputedly re-elected in 2002. In light of the fact that presidential elections are due to be held on 29 March, surely there should be monitoring by European and other international leaders. I ask the Leader if we can approve the motion without debate and press the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and other leaders to monitor closely what is happening in Zimbabwe.
I concur with Senator Phil Prendergast regarding maternity services. The enhancement and development of services has been on the agenda for a considerable time. I refer particularly to services in Dublin, where no development has been proposed. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter with the Minister.
I join Senator Fitzgerald in raising the issue of foreign travel by Ministers. I do not have any difficulty with Ministers going abroad, but the general populace would be appalled at the cost of VIP lounges and taxi fares. When RTE asked what benefit accrued from this, there was no answer from the Departments. Let us have accountability regarding foreign trips. By all means, let us use them to promote Ireland and the Irish diaspora who like to see Ministers, but how many members of the diaspora would know the junior Ministers who visit them?
Yesterday I raised the issue of neurology services and I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Health and Children to the House to discuss this matter. The HSE who commissioned the report on the strategic review of neurology and clinical neurological services has not yet published the report. That is a crying shame. I ask the Leader to intercede with the Minister to ensure the report, currently with the HSE, is published.
I also ask the Leader to raise with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the appalling cost of the deportation which Senator Hannigan raised yesterday. The cost of €100,000 is absolutely immoral. Perhaps the Comptroller and Auditor General will carry out a review of deportation costs. That €100,000 would pay for a neuro surgeon. It is an appalling indictment of the way the Government has dragged its feet.
I wish to express my concern that Dublin Port Tunnel was closed again yesterday for several hours owing to problems which arose, causing major traffic congestion in the city centre. This is not the first time it has happened. There have been a number of incidents in the past couple of months which have caused the closure of the tunnel. Yesterday the tyre of a heavy goods vehicle travelling through the tunnel went on fire. This caused the tunnel to be closed for several hours. The procedures undertaken seem to have taken far longer than should have been required. Dublin has only one tunnel, while other capital cities have many, yet we seem to have ongoing problems with the management of emergencies that arise. The Minister for Transport might address this issue when he next visits the House and reassure Members that these kinds of problems will not arise in the future. There are serious knock-on effects and gridlock which affects that part of the city and traffic coming from the airport.
The attendance of the Minister for Health and Children in this House has been requested by other Senators. Perhaps we could have clarification on cancer screening services. The chief executive responsible for cancer screening services stated yesterday at the Joint Committee on Health and Children that the service does not come under the employment and financial caps that have been placed on the HSE and that the cervical cancer screening programme will be rolled out over the coming months. This summer is the target date. Many Senators are very concerned that we have had a number of false dawns in relation to the delivery of the cancer screening services. The Minister might clarify if it is the case that cancer screening services come under the budget of the HSE and whether there are limits placed on that budget. I also seek confirmation that we will see the roll-out of screening services this summer.
I wish to request a number of debates. My first query relates to the status of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which is on our programme for later in the month. I refer to a clause in that Bill which is causing a number of tenants leasing commercial properties to be forced out of those properties because the landlords are claiming the powers of the tenants under the proposed legislation will be great. A business in my constituency which provides a very valuable service to a small local community is gradually being strangled because this legislation has not yet become law. I would be grateful if the Leader could give me an update on that matter and do all he can to bring the Bill before the House.
I had the privilege earlier in the week of touring the Dublin docklands area, most of which is within my constituency. The development and innovation there is extraordinary. I support earlier calls for a debate on financial regulation. Most of the innovative businesses providing employment in that part of our city are not covered by domestic financial regulation. We have seen recently in other countries the gaps in the governance of this area and the huge economic impact, particularly in America. We would be well placed to debate that issue, discuss what gaps there are in that legislation and see if there is anything we can do about it.
There is a need for a debate on the groceries order. Prior to my entry into the Oireachtas, I spent ten years working in the grocery business and am very familiar with the debate on the abolition of the groceries order and the impact it will have on our economy and society. Two points merit reinforcement. It always has been illegal for a manufacturer to be asked to pay for shelf space or listing.
Hear, hear.
The groceries order reinforced that. If any supplier in this country, particularly a small domestic one, is asked by a large multinational retailer to pay for its product to be placed on the retailer's shelf, it is an utter indictment of what we have done with the groceries order. It is a very serious issue that will impact on domestic employment across a period when we will depend on it more than ever.
Name and shame.
I want to reinforce the call that has been made for a debate on the implementation of that new legislation.
I will conclude by making the point, which was previously made by the Leader, that domestic competitiveness will be probably the key point on which we must act in the future. As such, the groceries order deserved to be abolished. However, what is in its place is not working and we need a proper debate on it in this House.
Hear, hear. Well said.
I commend the launch of the journal from the Centre for Cross-Border Studies. It is another excellent production by Andy Pollak and the rest of the group in Armagh that is concerned with ongoing work between the North and South. I know that Senator Leyden raised the issue of the Lisbon treaty. We all know that Europe has been extremely good to us in respect of moneys for various things. One aspect of that was the peace and reconciliation moneys, which were allied to the International Fund for Ireland moneys, the American Ireland Fund moneys and other sources of funding. These have created structures on the ground for community development. I ask the Leader whether we could have an immediate discussion in the House about how these structures will continue following the withdrawal of outside funding. It was said this morning that we are not in the peace process anymore but are in the next phase. Therefore, it is the national Government's responsibility to ensure that, in respect of structures that were set up to support the development of communities in areas where communities needed support and structure, it will row in and supply the funding to ensure these communities can continue. I know there are up to 130 such community development groups in Donegal.
I agree with Senator Harris about talking down the role of politicians. I include Senators, Deputies, Ministers and Ministers of State. In respect of travel, I was chairman of an Oireachtas committee for the past five years which produced 13 reports. Three of those reports cost the State nothing, other than the cost of travel to some areas to get more expertise. Instead of giving money to consultants, our expertise was able to create very good reports. For us to talk down the value of our travelling abroad and what we might learn or what other people abroad might learn from us demeans us and our jobs, is wrong and should not be stood over. I ask the Leader to find out how many minutes of advertisement we would get on prime time RTE television or radio or in the national print media for €500,000.
I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the House to discuss the serious matter of the way in which the EU Commissioner for External Trade, Peter Mandelson, is talking about Irish agriculture, particularly beef producers.
Hear, hear.
If he is allowed to continue, the repercussions for Irish farming are very grave. The lifting of the ban on the importation of Brazilian beef into Europe is very serious. I attended a meeting last night with members of the IFA. It will affect the changing face of Irish culture if we are not careful. We need to be serious about this issue and perhaps the Leader would treat it with the seriousness it deserves.
I will not labour the point but I support the points made by Senators O'Toole, Norris and Harris about Ministers who represent this country abroad. In this House, we need, as Senator Harris said, to stand up for ourselves and not always adopt the béal bocht. These are the Houses of Parliament. There are enough people out there, many of whom have never made a contribution to Irish life in any shape or form, who will snipe sneeringly at us.
I am impressed by Senator Norris, a man who will defend those who are poor. It is particularly laudable given his class background, about which he spoke, and the fact that VIP magazine voted him “man of style”.
Hear, hear.
Dustin for Eurovision, Norris for fashion. We still have a sense of humour.
We are dealing with the Order of Business. We can have style some other time.
I very much welcome the hint of republicanism I occasionally detect in a man of Trinity College, which impresses me.
Only in France, not here.
I also support the call made by Senator Boyle for a debate on the Competition Authority, its effectiveness and the restructuring that might be required. The authority is slow to deal with certain issues and to target certain areas. Equally, there is an onus on Government when it focuses on important areas like the legal profession to take effective action. I am more than slightly disappointed that the new proposals coming forward are not for a completely independent and overarching body to oversee barristers and solicitors. Many serious issues have arisen in recent times in this regard.
In respect of the comments made about the Director of Corporate Enforcement, it would be timely to have a debate on this. Without doubt, there should be good ethical standards in corporate governance in the private sector as well as in the public sector. There have been reports recently that the director has been using the office to encourage examiners and liquidators to take action against directors, possibly against the wishes of those people. That responsibility rests with the director and should not be delegated to others who have a duty to perform in respect of examinership and liquidations. Given the economic climate, there will be a need for those people to operate effectively with the brief and remit they have.
I also welcome the comments of Senators O'Toole, Harris and Keaveney in respect of the valuable role played by our Ministers on their visits abroad. I speak as somebody who has not, to my knowledge, travelled abroad at the expense of the State. I happen to be involved in a charity in Argentina which benefited greatly in terms of its work and status within the community. The charity has two Cheshire Homes for people who suffer from extreme physical and mental disability. It benefited greatly from the visit of an Irish Minister. It significantly enhanced the profile of that charity here when it came to fund raising. The Ministers deserve our thanks for that function.
There are Cheshire Homes in Cork.
I welcome that.
Senator Mullen, without interruption.
I also welcome Senator Harris's general point about the rather negative and carping attitude that exists towards politicians. It even infects those of great goodwill. When I announced to my mother that I was running for the Seanad, she said, "I thought I told you to wait until I was dead before you got involved in politics", which would have meant I would be a very old man because there is quite a degree of longevity on her side of the family. One would nearly have to shoot some of them in the end.
I am sorry to hear that.
Senator Mullen on the Order of Business, please.
I should have broken the bad news to Senator O'Toole in private. I note Senator Leyden's comments on the Lisbon treaty. Whatever about the implications for abortion, it probably will emerge in the course of our debate that the Government has not done enough to secure the primacy of Articles 40 to 44 of Bunreacht na hÉireann on a range of social matters. There is a problem with competence creep at European level, the latest example of which is Commissioner Vladimír Spidla's calling into question of Ireland's right to have exemptions in our employment equality legislation to allow institutions to protect their ethos. It is not fear of foreigners that causes people to be worried about the European project, but fear of diktat from Europe which should be properly matters of national competence. That matter will need to be debated as we approach the referendum on the Lisbon treaty.
I point out to Senator Walsh that many fine republicans who were scholars of Trinity contributed to the creation of this State.
Hear, hear.
Next Monday millions of people will celebrate their Irishness not only in Ireland but throughout the world. There has been a debate about Ministers attending various countries. While it is right they should attend, we should not have a carte blanche approach to sending Ministers, Deputies and Senators to every corner of the world. We should weigh up any decision to ensure State money is spent in the best interest of the State. On a number of occasions I have asked that all the Seanad party leaders and the leader of the Independents should agree a joint motion on the need to deal with 40,000 undocumented Irish emigrants in America who find themselves in a very difficult situation.
Hear, hear.
Some people have been deported in recent years and others are at risk of being deported as we speak. Those emigrants have the courage to come out and attend meetings of the ILIR lobby group. They have had the courage to come out and march in Washington in the knowledge that they could be deported in the next minute. This House should have the same courage and pass a motion in support of that campaign. It should happen prior to St. Patrick's Day when the leaders of the Government will be in America so that they can say that both Houses of the Oireachtas support the calls to have the undocumented Irish legalised. That motion should be passed without debate. I do not believe any party would have any problem with such a motion which can be placed on Thursday's agenda to be taken without debate. I ask the Leader to facilitate that with the other groups and show those 40,000 that we also have their interests at heart.
Since the Minister last came to the Chamber to debate the pharmacies issue, developments have taken place. There has been a meeting of the Irish Pharmaceutical Union with 1,100 pharmacists informing the meeting that they will be withdrawing from the medical card and drugs repayment schemes on 1 May. I have made clear how I feel on the issue. I have asked the IPU and individual pharmacists not to withdraw their services. However, they have indicated they will. Thousands of concerned patients do not know where they will get their drugs from 1 May. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate with the Minister returning to the House to let us know what is happening regarding the dispute and what procedure she is putting in place to ensure the patients of this State who require medication under those schemes will be able to get it from 1 May.
I agree with the previous Senators who spoke about the necessary travel undertaken at this time of year by Ministers. I am conscious that at the foundation of the State when the annual budget would have been no more than £20 million, special efforts were made by the new Government to ensure people went around the world to let the Irish diaspora know about the new State. Bonds were raised in America for the new State. It led to the recognition by a State that could ill afford it of the fruitful contacts that can be made. Eventually Eamon de Valera became President of the League of Nations. That continued to the extent that at one stage we were attracting 29% of all foreign direct investment from the United States into Europe despite having less than 1% of the population.
People do not do business with statistics. People do business with people face-to-face. That is why the travel is so necessary. Part of the reason we have more than 6 million people visiting our shores is that people go out. Part of the reason for having 30,000 visas for students in China is that people have gone there and done business. We have a very high reputation because of the people who have gone out there including Ministers from all sides who have gone to make their case. It is the reason Ireland has such a high standing. It is not just business, but there have been cultural links with Members of this House going to China. It is a wonderful event, which is important for our national prestige and economy. It is something we have done since the foundation of the State when we could ill afford it.
The Leader has agreed to have a debate on Northern Ireland and I urge him to do so as soon as possible. This morning along with Senator Keaveney I attended the launch by the Minister for Education and Science of the book, Journal of Cross Border Studies in Ireland, published by the Centre for Cross Border Studies. The Minister spoke encouragingly about the amount of cross-Border work going on and the amount of success that has been achieved. In the past when we have had a debate on Northern Ireland it has only been a debate about those with a link with Northern Ireland in some form or other. The Minister drew our attention to the amount of work already taking place in various ways, including in education, tourism, sustainability and trade unionism. Regarding all those areas, it is worthwhile having this debate. One of the other speakers at that function was the president of DCU, Ferdinand von Prondzynski, who told of how he grew up in Germany and was there when the Berlin Wall was built. His family came to live in Ireland a few years later. His father, having crossed from Northern Ireland into the Twenty-Six Counties, said that the Border here, even though it was not visible like the border in Germany, was much more ingrained because of the attitudes of people on both sides of the Border. He pointed to how that is changing dramatically. It is worth our while doing so.
In our company some years ago we decided to place a shamrock opposite each product on our shelves in the supermarket. I could not believe the number of people who asked me whether we put it on products coming from Northern Ireland. These were Nationalists who still did not believe Northern Ireland was part of us. The question would not even have cropped up in the minds of those of us with links to Northern Ireland. I urge the Leader to have the debate on Northern Ireland soon.
For many years I have argued that we should join central European time to get the benefits of the extra hour in the evening the whole year around. One of the reasons we failed to succeed was that people claimed it would be very dark when children were going to school in mid-winter. The United States changed their hour last weekend meaning that there is now only a four-hour gap between New York and here. If we are not going to join central European time at least we should make the effort to align with the United States and start summertime at least three weeks earlier than we normally do.
Hear, hear.
I urge the Leader to encourage the Minister responsible — I am not sure who it is — to take the first steps to having that changed in Europe.
Senators Fitzgerald, O'Toole, Leyden, Harris, Buttimer, Keaveney, Walsh, Mullen, Doherty and Hanafin all expressed views regarding Ministers and Ministers of State going abroad for St. Patrick's Day. This is the ideal time. We are a very small nation among the hundreds of nations of the world. To get a time on the calendar to market our country is difficult. Every year IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland pick the ten days before St. Patrick's Day to market Ireland plc, as has been said this morning. What a success we have had. Senator Keaveney asked me how many minutes we would get on RTE television at prime time. I understand we would get 40 minutes of advertising time for what it costs to send abroad all our Ministers, Ministers of State and everyone else who is marketing Ireland. As Senator McFadden knows, I consider it a great honour and privilege to have participated in such events when I was chairman of Westmeath County Council.
It is important to consider how seriously we are viewed abroad during that ten-day period. Senator Hanafin referred to our culture and very few nations can claim their music is a brand name, but Ireland can. Let us work on the positive aspects.
I congratulate Senator Fitzgerald on raising this matter on the Order of Business, but all Taoisigh and Ministers must go abroad for such purposes. Failure to do so would mean that we were not fulfilling the opportunities worked for by Enterprise Ireland's representatives and our diplomatic staff abroad. Our embassies and consuls-general strive for months in advance to try to make this ten-day window of opportunity work, especially on television. As we all know, television accounts for 70% of media penetration, while radio accounts for 20% and the remaining 10% is fragmented among the print media.
Those are the opportunities that arise when Ministers travel abroad, so it is dishonest to say they are being given carte blanche in this respect. Travel undertaken by Members of the Oireachtas is always subject to a detailed itinerary. On St. Patrick’s Day it is not unusual for a Minister to work for 20 hours. I certainly know the Taoiseach does this always when he is in Ireland. That is the sort of heavy workload undertaken by our public representatives whose diaries are mind-boggling. They carry out a punishing schedule on behalf of the Irish people. I am speaking from experience. I hope newer Members of the House will not reveal their inexperience in such matters in future.
Senator Fitzgerald referred to the high cost of child care, which is a major challenge for society. She correctly said that those concerned will be meeting the Minister in the coming days. I will have no difficulty in arranging for such a debate in the near future.
Senators O'Toole, Coghlan, Boyle and Walsh all called for a debate on corporate enforcement to be attended by the Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness. This is a worthwhile request and I agree with some of the sentiments that have been expressed. I will endeavour to provide time for such a debate after the Easter recess.
Senator Hannigan and others expressed concern about the cost of deportation. I will pass on their views to the Minister. If Senators feel they need a debate on this matter we can discuss it with the party leaders at one of our weekly meetings before the first sitting day after the Easter recess.
Senator Leyden mentioned the Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, which will come to the House after Easter. As the Taoiseach informed the Dáil yesterday, voting will take place in the second week of June. The Taoiseach also said he is consulting Opposition leaders with a view to reaching a consensus on the date for the referendum.
Senators Coghlan, Norris, Donohoe, Boyle and Walsh called for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to review the abolition of the groceries order. The former Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business — of which I was Chairman and Senator Coghlan was also a member — was unified in its opposition to the abolition of the groceries order.
That is correct.
Everyone knows where that committee stood at the time. Members of the House, including Senator Leyden, who is a former Minister of State with responsibility for this area, should review progress on this matter. None us ever foresaw that the current reduction in drink prices would occur.
Absolutely not.
I know we have the full support of the House on this point. I certainly will arrange for the Minister to attend the House for that debate following the Easter recess.
Senator Boyle sought an urgent debate on marine research whose economic value is very important. I will endeavour to have that debate during the first or second week after the Easter recess.
Senators Prendergast and Callely called for a debate on maternity services. Senator Prendergast pointed out that there were almost 27,000 births in the eastern region last year. She expressed concern about the ambulance services in rural areas. I have no difficulty in arranging a debate on these matters, with the Minister present.
Senator Norris expressed shock and horror at the recent slaughter of students in Jerusalem by a lone gunman. I join the Senator in conveying our condolences to the bereaved families. Such attacks do not enhance any cause and I support the Senator's call in this regard.
Senator Callely called for a debate on No. 18, motion 31, which is in his name and that of Senator Norris. I will consult the Chief Whip on this matter following the Order of Business to ascertain the Government's position and to see how we can progress it.
Senator Buttimer called for a debate on health, especially the report on neurological services. I will endeavour to get word from the Department on this matter.
Senator de Búrca expressed strong views on the Dublin Port tunnel and the unfortunate delays there yesterday. As we all know, however, health and safety requirements must be maintained, particularly concerning the emergency services which were summoned there yesterday to deal with an unforeseen incident. This delayed traffic for quite a long time. I will request the Minister to attend the House after the Easter recess to address his transport proposals.
Senator de Búrca also called for the Minister for Health and Children to attend the House for a debate on cancer screening and cancer services generally. I have already given a commitment for a lengthy debate on all health issues, with the Minister in attendance.
Senator Donohoe sought an update on the proposed legislation concerning landlords and tenants. I have no difficulty in arranging such a debate. The Senator also referred to the transformation of the Dublin docklands area. It is unbelievable to see the millions of euro that have been invested in that district, which includes Sir John Rogerson's Quay. It certainly reflects 21st century Ireland and is very uplifting. I will arrange for the Minister to attend the House to provide a progress report on all these activities in the docklands area.
Senators Keaveney and Quinn sought a debate on Northern Ireland, including the progress being made in cross-Border activities. As I have said, the Taoiseach will be in this House on or near the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. On that occasion we will be able to highlight our views and debate all the great cross-Border activity that is happening. I, with Senator Keaveney, have the honour of being a member of the Good Friday Agreement implementation body as well as being a member of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body. I am impressed by the goodwill and can-do attitude of all members of the cross-Border bodies, from the North and the South, in making such progress possible.
I agree with Senator McFadden's call for a debate on agriculture and I have assured the House we will have an all-day debate on this topic after the Easter recess. I have already spoken to the Minister about it and she is anxious to attend the House. It is only a matter of fixing a date in her diary for such a debate.
Senator Doherty referred to the undocumented Irish in America. A delegation of Deputies and Senators visited Washington last week to represent the very views expressed by Senator Doherty. I am not aware of any visit to America by the Taoiseach or Minister for Foreign Affairs during the past few years when this issue was not put centre stage.
I called for a joint party motion on the matter.
I do not believe we need an all-party motion in this regard given the commitment by Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and, in particular, the Taoiseach to ensure this issue is put centre stage at every opportunity.
We should be doing everything in our power to help them.
I support Senator Doherty's view. However, there is no need for a joint party motion as the matter is being prioritised by Government.
On the pharmacy issue, I will endeavour to obtain an update on this matter, if possible, next week. Members must bear in mind that Ministers will be out of the country next week and as such will be unable to attend the House.
Senator Quinn, an innovative man, has made an immense contribution to Ireland during his lifetime in terms of leading by example and the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs. I will pass on his views in respect of the time gap between Ireland and America to the Minister. The introduction, three weeks earlier, of new time would give people an extra hour to enjoy the St. Patrick's Day festivities. This is important for rural areas which must hold their parades at 5 o'clock or 5.30 p.m. when the parades in bigger areas have finished. The extra hour would be crucial to the celebration of St. Patrick's Day in villages such as Granard and Castlepollard.