The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on the special report of the Ombudsman on the lost at sea scheme, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and conclude not later than 1.30 p.m., on which spokespersons may speak for ten minutes and all other Senators for seven minutes and Senators may share time, by agreement of the House, with the Minister to be called upon ten minutes from the conclusion of the debate for closing comments and to take questions from leaders or spokespersons; No. 2, motion re An Coimisinéir Teanga, back from committee, to be taken at 2 p.m. and conclude within 25 minutes, on which Senators may speak for five minutes.
Order of Business.
I formally give the Cathaoirleach notice that in this House Fine Gael will be tabling a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, as precedent allows. Yesterday in the Dáil we saw the half-hearted efforts of a Green Party Minister in defending the Minister. The Green Party prides itself on promoting ethics and standards in public life, but it seems that not all of its Members on the Government benches are as willing to express confidence in the Minister, on whom the Leader heaped praise here yesterday, yet we had Senator Boyle using Twitter and Facebook to tell the world and the media that he had no confidence in the Minister, that he believed he had been compromised and that the Green Party had been bounced into supporting the Government. Will the Leader clarify whether Senator Boyle has informed him that he intends to resign from the House? Is the Leader concerned that the Deputy Leader who was appointed by a former Taoiseach does not support a member of the Cabinet and believes he should not be allowed to continue as a Minister? What does this say about Government cohesion? On the two seats given to the Green Party by the former Taoiseach, is the Leader not embarrassed that one incumbent resigned, claiming the Green Party had become a mere extension of Fianna Fáil, while the other is now criticising a member of the Cabinet and seeking his resignation?
As regards a no confidence motion, a written notice must be sent to me in the normal way.
Does the Green Party intend to confirm these views in the Seanad this morning? I shall finish by quoting one of its former councillors, as reported in The Irish Times today: “The lowest standard, once again, wins the day.” I look forward to hearing the Leader’s response to this most serious issue, the lack of confidence of Members of this House in the Government.
If a motion of such moment is to be dealt with by the House, it should be done as soon as possible. The rest of us can work out our positions on the motion when we see what is being proposed.
We have not yet received a formal motion.
That is fine. However, the sooner it is dealt with, the better in order that there will be no uncertainty about the role of the Deputy Leader or anything else. I shall hold my comments until then, at which time, I can assure the Cathaoirleach, the House will receive an independent view on what is being proposed.
Last week in the House the question of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act and special needs children was raised by Senator Fitzgerald. Three or four Adjournment items on the question of special education have been raised in the meantime. When the EPSEN, Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, Act was passed in this House I welcomed it as something of a dream solution to the problems of special education. Last week in the House people criticised the National Council for Special Education but it is an old trick of Government to blame institutions. The National Council for Special Education has done its job very well. It examined the EPSEN Act and produced a substantial report. I refer to two pages of that report, several copies of which I have before me and which I will give to interested people, which outline 42 different actions. The pages set out what constitutes each actions, by whom it should be implemented and a date line for it. A separate part of the report places a cost on every action.
To give one example, by January 2007 the recruitment campaign to hire 210 educational psychologists for the country should have taken place but at present there are fewer than 150. People raise questions here about SNAs, special needs assistants, and the reason this is a problem is every child with special needs is supposed to have attached to him or her an exact requirement of support. This is called an individual educational plan, IEP. In many cases this would require an SNA and in other cases, other supports. However, since this is not in place on a statutory basis the Department can pull back on support. People are being utterly frustrated, schools cannot do their business, it is coming back to us through the political system and we continue to raise issues on the Adjournment which should have been dealt with through the commencement of the Act, which we passed in good faith and which the Government is ignoring. It is an absolute disgrace that special needs children are being treated in this way in this country at the moment. I suggest we call on the Minister to come to the House and outline how now for the EPSEN Act. When and how will it be implemented? I recognise the problems of the economy and I do not maintain the Government should stick with the datelines set out by the National Council for Special Education but people in this area should be aware of the supports. Special children only get one chance to go to primary school and we should ensure they learn from it.
When our colleague former Senator Deirdre de Búrca resigned from the House last week, she stated one matter of great concern to her former colleagues was that the Green Party was having rings run around it by Fianna Fáil. We did not have long to wait in order that——
Questions to the Leader, please.
Does the Leader agree that we did not have long to wait to witness precisely what former Senator de Búrca was upset about?
That is true.
What the Green Party said or did not say is not relevant.
It is entirely relevant. With great respect to the Cathaoirleach——
Not to me.
They are in Government.
With great respect to the Cathaoirleach, it is entirely relevant to the business of the House. We have the spectacle of a Government, senior members of which claim to have confidence in the Minister in the other House, but others do not have that confidence here.
Hear, hear.
What possible credibility could attach to any Government, the senior members of which appear not to be able to make up their minds in respect of confidence in a senior, experienced Minister of considerable longevity in the Cabinet? We are aware Deputy Gogarty has a background in circus performances but it would appear now the entire Green Party has reduced itself to a circus act. It takes one view in the other House and another view here. It is a matter of grave, considerable moment that should be debated in the House. I defer to Senator Fitzgerald's proposal to give notice of a motion she intends to raise but this matter should be dealt with urgently today. Senator Boyle stated in the newspaper, through Twitter, tweet or whatever this morning that there would be several more chapters to this story. These chapters should unfold now in the interests of the people and the credibility of this Government, which is rapidly disappearing.
Hear, hear.
I call on the Leader to organise a debate on the initiative launched yesterday by the President, Mary McAleese, entitled Your Country, Your Call that, to quote her, seeks game changing ideas. The concept was put together by her husband, Martin McAleese. He spoke of how if this country continues to believe it can solve its problems using the solutions of before, then we will never get out of the troubles in which we find ourselves at present.
I call for a debate in respect of the deteriorating relations with Israel. As early as this morning, we learned the Israeli ambassador will be called in by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin. There is a growing suspicion that Mossad, the Israeli secret service agency, was involved in the assassinations in the Middle East, as a part of which fake Irish passports were used. To date, it seems the Israeli Government has not denied the allegation that Mossad was involved. In fact, it may appear that it wishes the world to believe this is the case and that it can kill anyone, anywhere, at any time of its choosing, using any methods and any disguises it sees fit. Ireland is a neutral nation and its passports are respected throughout the world. The fact that our passports were used in this particular case is of grave concern to all of us. I call on the Leader to organise a debate on this issue.
The Israeli Government has what it describes as a policy of ambiguity when it comes to assassinating its enemies abroad. It is clear the Green Party has a policy of ambiguity also when it comes to staying in Government with its Fianna Fáil colleagues. The behaviour of the Green Party Oireachtas Members is nothing short of a disgrace. We expect nothing less than low standards from Fianna Fáil. It has a long and proud history of low standards in Government and politics.
The Senator should leave room for it.
If we were given plenty of time we could discuss it in depth.
Questions to the Leader, please, and not across the floor. We are not getting involved in an across the floor debate.
Even fellow Government Ministers of Deputy Willie O'Dea have low standards in politics.
Questions to the Leader, please.
Let him cast the first stone.
I refer to questions to the Leader. I fully support our call next week for a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea. I call on the Leader to request the Green Party Senators to appear in the House and put their views on the record rather than rely on Twitter to inform the rest of the nation of what the Green Party believes. The way in which the Minister, Deputy O'Dea, is playing around with words and with the law of the country is an absolute disgrace, an insult to our democracy and an insult to the standards to which we should keep in politics.
Hear, hear.
Hear, hear.
The Minister is a trained barrister and has been a member of the Government for a number of years. It is absolutely disgraceful.
I refer to the former Senator, Deirdre de Búrca. I take a strong view about the matter to which she referred last week. I spoke with her many times about her desire to go to Europe——
Questions to the Leader, please.
I do not believe she would have spoken out as she did, had she received the appointment in the Commissioner's cabinet.
Why did the Senator not support her?
This is not relevant.
I do not believe her. She would not have done so.
Why did the Senator not support her?
Questions to the Leader, please. This is not relevant.
I simply wish to make that point.
I understand but I wish to hear questions to the Leader on the Order of Business only.
(Interruptions).
I seek the truth at all times. I call on our Leader, Senator Donie Cassidy——
Is there a rule in this House about saying something about Members not actually present?
A Senator
What was the Senator saying a few minutes ago? Was the Minister, Deputy O'Dea, in the Chamber then?
She is not a Member of the House. She is an individual.
She is no longer a Member of the House.
She is not a Member.
Perhaps if former Senator de Búrca had been voted into the Seanad rather than appointed she might have appreciated it more.
Senator Mary White is basically saying that once someone is bought, she remains bought.
That is not a point of order; it is merely an interruption.
It is absolutely disgraceful.
I call on our Leader to call urgently for the Minister for Education and Science——
The view is once bought, one stays bought.
——to come to the House and explain his vision for the teaching of mathematics and science. A report by the national centre for excellence in mathematics and science suggests maths teachers in secondary school are not qualified to teach the subject. I am deeply concerned that some 35% of maths teachers are not qualified to teach the subject. Students at all levels of ability require the best teachers to reach their potential. The report outlines that some 65% of younger teachers, aged 35 years and under, are not qualified to teach maths in secondary school.
Last week in the Mansion House, Dr. Craig Barrett the former chief executive and chairman of Intel, referred to the issue of education and competitiveness in Ireland. He stated he was very concerned about the quality of education in Ireland. The quality of education was one of the reasons Intel came to Ireland 20 years ago. He further stated education in Ireland is not what it used to be and he believes this will have a significant effect on continued foreign direct investment. The national report on the quality of education was reinforced by the OECD PISA report. It examined 15-year olds across 57 countries and shows Ireland is only average in the OECD at mathematics and science. For God's sake, how can we compete if we are not top of the class and the best in the world at mathematics and science, bearing in mind the new nanotechnology to be developed in the future? The Minister for Education and Science should be invited to come here urgently to tell us his plans to improve the standard of mathematics and science. We have lost our hunger to be at the top.
I join other Senators in calling for a debate on whether we have confidence in the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea. I would like to hear the Leader's views on whether he believes a crime has been committed under section 62 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and under the Prevention of Electoral Abuse Act.
Many former workers of SR Technics live in my constituency. There are two issues to be addressed in this context, the first of which relates to hangar 6. I would like to see Ryanair, Aer Lingus and the Government meet to discuss at an EGM the issue of whether Aer Lingus should give up its lease on the hangar. Ryanair and the Government have a majority shareholding and I would like to see them direct Aer Lingus to give it up. Aer Lingus has a moral responsibility to former employees of SR Technics to take them off the dole and ensure every job that can be created is created. Many SR Technics workers are trying to re-skill and going back to college to retrain as engineers. It is proposed to have an engineering course at the Dublin Institute of Technology. Over 60 former employees have signed up but they are waiting for EU globalisation funds. The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Mary Coughlan, knows about this. All she has to do is put a guarantee in place until the funds are released. If she does not do so, the course will not be offered and the 63 people who have signed up will not be able to start. Will the Leader telephone the Minister today to ask her to put a guarantee in place in order that the people will have some hope?
The protection and security of Irish citizens at home and abroad should be a paramount consideration of this House. Ireland enjoys a particularly high status internationally, mainly because it never colonised any other country. It has always been seen to be helping with missions, peacekeeping forces, etc. This status has been very important to us. On the issue of Irish passports being used in the murder of a Hamas leader, it has emerged clearly that Israel is implicated. Unless this matter is clarified and we take a particularly strong stand on it, other interpretations of the incident could eventually have an impact on our citizens. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has made a reasonably strong statement in this regard but it must be evident that we do not accept our passports being used in any way, particularly in such an act. If we suffer as a result of this, the blame must be lie at the doorstep of Israel. We have had to condemn it in the House in the past because of its excesses. It seems to engage in certain practices without any explanation. I call on the Leader to convey our view that we are not happy and that the matter should not be sidelined. We must be clear on the response we are receiving from Israel and that such an incident will never happen again. I understand other countries have had similar cases in which Israel used their citizens' passports. There was a very lame apology given, after which Israel moved on and did exactly the same again. This is not acceptable. It is vital that we make our views known in the strongest possible manner.
It is simply not good enough that telephones are still ringing in the House. I have spoken about this on numerous occasions and will be seeking support to have the Chamber blocked such that no telephones will work therein.
Hear, hear.
Senator Ó Brolcháin cannot find Leinster House.
Once again, we have received mixed messages from the Green Party. Green Party Members and Ministers in the Dáil are supporting the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, and in so doing contravening the rule of law, yet overnight the Deputy Leader, Senator Boyle, said the Green Party had been bounced into it and that he had no confidence in the Minister. Is he being sincere or is he just playing a game to keep the Green Party on the field? I agree that the Minister is not fit for public office and will be supporting the motion my party will be bringing forward to the Leader formally today. Does the Leader agree that the Minister has undermined the rule of law? Did the Government not support an electoral abuse yesterday? Is the Government fit for office?
I call for a debate on the sustainability of third level education. Third level education is costing €2 billion from a total intake of €34 billion. All of the universities are in debt. Last week the Leader kindly consented to arrange a debate on CAO applications and places. I asked the Minister at the time how, given the surge in the number of CAO applications, third level education could continue to be funded. His response was that the Government wanted the universities and colleges to be creative with their finances. They are broke. From reading between the lines of what the Minister said to me, it is clear fees are on the way back. Once again, the Green Party has been fooled. The Minister needs to discuss in the House——
The Senator has her point made.
——the role and mission of the institutions and the need for centres of excellence among them——
I call Senator Leyden.
——and to determine whether we need 40 third level colleges.
Senator Healy Eames should respect the Chair and resume her seat.
I agree with the Senators on the disgraceful abuse of three passports of Irish citizens, allegedly attributable to the Israeli secret service. This raises many issues. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Michéal Martin, has acted swiftly in this regard and called in the ambassador. We should withdraw our ambassador from Israel until the matter is clarified. Ireland has a very high standing and its passport is one of the most highly regarded in the world. One can travel anywhere with an Irish passport. A situation has arisen in Gaza——
Is that why Fianna Fáil was selling them? In fairness to it, it got good value for them.
There are to be no interruptions, please.
Hamas is in power in Gaza. This has created a serious difficulty for the peace process in the region. We should take serious action in this regard.
I refute Senator Twomey's comments on Fianna Fáil.
The Senator should not comment on other Members. Comments should be addressed to the Leader.
We should be in a position to refute——
The Leader will reply. I do not ask any other Member to do so.
The Senator should talk through his Leader.
The Senator should use Private Members' time to discuss it.
Senator Twomey spoke to the Leader.
It is unprecedented to have a vote of confidence in this House in a Minister. The Minister for Defence has performed his ministerial duties in a most exemplary fashion.
I would prefer if Members reserved their comments until the motion to be tabled by the Leader of the Opposition is discussed next week. Members will have sufficient time to make their comments.
We had a very good debate on Northern Ireland last night. It was interesting that there were representatives of the SDLP in the Houses yesterday. They were not here for the debate because it was delayed because of some kerfuffle in the other House at the time. Part of our objective is to have unity of mind between the two sides in Northern Ireland.
I watched two rugby matches in recent weeks. One took place in Dublin and there were two anthems for our team, one of which was "Amhrán na bhFiann". Certainly, those from south of the Border seemed to join in that song with vigour. Those who came from the North did not seem to know the words. The second anthem, if that is the word to use, "Ireland's Call", was clearly supported by both sides. I wonder is it again time for us at this stage to consider whether we should have a national anthem which would incorporate North and South and which would be representative of both sides.
As we stated some years ago, the national anthem is not the only one that has a viewpoint, but "A Soldier's Song", or the national anthem of the French or the national anthem of the British, is very bloodthirsty as well.
There is nothing bloodthirsty about "God Save the Queen".
There is.
No interruption.
A remarkable woman——
Go down to the following chorus.
——and a direct descendant of both Brian Boru and Hugh O'Neill, which is more than can be said for Mr. Gerry Adams MP MLA.
I mention it because it is worthwhile for us to look again, not just at the national anthem but at matters at which we do not look too often to see how can we manage now that we have got peace in Northern Ireland and now that we have two sides working together in Northern Ireland. With the changes that will take place in April, we have an opportunity to incorporate a full Ireland in many other ways, not just in that area.
Another point was introduced by Senator Daly today. Rather similar words to the rugby song were used yesterday by President McAleese or, at least, her husband, Mr. Martin McAleese, "Your Country, Your Call". It seems here is an opportunity for us in Ireland to recognise that if we are going to succeed, let us get behind it. A number of people have put up sufficient funds to encourage this. Instead of relying solely on foreign direct investment, it is an opportunity for us to do something ourselves. I recommend consideration of that because it is really worthwhile.
I agree with what Senator Quinn stated about Northern Ireland. It was a very worthwhile debate last night. This Chamber should be utilised for more of that kind of debate. We would welcome an up-to-date report on how we are making progress on the many issues which affect north and south of the Border such as health, education, transport and current infrastructure, if we start thinking with an all-Ireland approach.
In some of the contributions this morning Senators asked whether we should have the young unemployed graduate engineers brought back into the education system to teach mathematics for the leaving certificate. The idea is good, but I am a little wary. While a person might be qualified in a subject, he or she may not be a good teacher. That is the point. We need to be careful, if we are putting on a course, that we are selective about whether such persons would be able to impart knowledge.
That brings me to another point, that we need to look again at the courses in college and why young students are not pursuing mathematics as a subject. It says something about why they are apprehensive about taking a course in mathematics. We do not have enough teachers who have qualified in the mathematics area at that stage——
Hear, hear.
——and that needs to be explored. There are two serious issues and we could easily hold a debate on how we move forward. However, I would be a bit wary about saying young unemployed graduate engineers should be brought back into the system. They might be very well qualified but we all know from having gone to courses that some do not impart the knowledge.
I call for a debate on the renewed programme for Government of 10 October last. This programme for Government was negotiated by Senator Boyle. He was part of the team that led to the delivery of it. The introduction of this programme for Government states:
we have a responsibility to lead by example. ... We need to start a process...so that the highest standards apply and they are truly representative.
It goes on to state, "As elected representatives we will work to earn and repay the trust that is placed in us."
I want to ask the Government, and the Green Party in particular, whether they believe these high standards they are looking for were delivered yesterday and whether they believe their willingness to stand by a Minister who broke the law repays the trust that the people are placing in us. It says a great deal about the value Senator Boyle and his colleagues place on the institutions which they pretend to respect that he is quite happy to sit in his office tweeting away on matters about standards and problems.
Senator Donohoe himself tweets.
Questions to the Leader. Do not mind about persons tweeting. There are many tweeting.
This is a question to the Leader. Senator Boyle will not come into this House to stand up and make clear his own views. What exactly is it that Fianna Fáil needs to do before Senator Boyle's conscience finally gets the better of him?
On the mathematics argument, I would agree with Senator Ormonde that sometimes the brightest people are not necessarily the best teachers because sometimes they are a step ahead and cannot bring themselves down to the level of understanding that someone does not just get how to do something. As a teacher myself, that is no denigration of the teaching profession either.
I also concur with Senator Quinn on last night's debate on the North being very important. I ask the Leader to consider taking my report on how to teach history in areas of recent conflict, which was done for the Council of Europe and endorsed by 47 countries, as a starting point to explore further what we could be doing on getting to know each other on the island of Ireland and developing the critical skills for employees and employers that can evolve from there.
Another point on mathematics is that we keep on nodding our brow to the issue of music and how music is intrinsically related to one's mathematical capacity. I again ask that we look at the role of the arts at preschool and primary school, not as arts subjects but as conduits for opening up a child's ability and leaving him or her much more ready for more difficult situations later in life.
I ask that we have a debate on the NCSE, the National Council for Special Education. There is a review going on nationally. There is not a cut in the provision of services, but schools are finding changes because special needs assistants could well be still in the school but the child has moved on. There is a fundamental need to look at this organisation, which is not long up and running, to see where are the gaps in the provision. These should be the guardian angels of special needs students. At present, sometimes we do not have issues such as health and transport integrated with education, and a discussion about the NCSE would be timely.
I join my colleague, Senator Hannigan, in raising the issue of the continuing maintenance jobs debacle at Dublin Airport, which is rolling on with no obvious signs of resolution. There is more than 300 jobs, an entire industry, at stake. There is ample aircraft work in this country with the two major airlines. Dublin has been the service provider of choice for many international airlines, and that should not be lost. We have the skills, we have the experienced aircraft technicians and we have a batch of young apprentices waiting to complete their training.
The Government has let these people down, particularly in not keeping SR Technics open in the first place. The loss of Aer Lingus work was critical to SR Technics' decision to pull out. At a time when the Government had a 25% stake in Aer Lingus, this was an obvious error. Following this, the Government failed to support a management initiative supported by the workforce to continue the business in Ireland and to retain most of the jobs.
The Government can sort this problem out. It must try to redeem itself by taking every step possible, including if necessary the pulling of the Aer Lingus lease on hangar 6. Apparently, legally, this is possible.
Mr. Michael O'Leary and Ryanair are not necessarily friends of ours, but I trust the company is serious about these maintenance jobs. Michael O'Leary has been critical of Government policy on aviation during the years and taken out full page advertisements in national newspapers and so forth to that effect. I hope, however, that this is not a factor in the Tánaiste adopting a position in which she does not wish to see herself being bullied, as she puts it, by Ryanair and Michael O'Leary. There is no place for pride at this critical point. I call on the Leader to urge the Tánaiste and the Minister for Transport to do everything possible on this matter. This is the last sitting day this week and I hope every effort will be made from now and over the weekend to resolve the matter. The business and skills are available.
Does the Leader agree that the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, acted unethically?
Please, Senator.
I am asking the Leader a legitimate question. I know Fianna Fáil Members are embarrassed by what has happened and they have questions to answer. Does the Leader believe the Minister has acted unethically? Does he agree that the Minister has brought politics into disrepute? When will we see an end to cute hoorism in Fianna Fáil——
That is unparliamentary language.
——whereby its Members think they can do and say what they wish and subvert democracy? Where are the Green Party Members this morning? Are they hiding in cyberspace or behind trees?
The Senator need not worry about any Member who is not present.
I am not talking about any Member. I am asking a legitimate question.
I am asking the Senator to put questions to the Leader.
I am asking a legitimate question.
I make that decision.
I am asking a legitimate question.
I am asking the Senator to ask questions of the Leader, not to worry about any Member who is not present in the House.
I am not worried about the Green Party Members at all. The people will give the Green Party their answer in the ballot box.
Questions for the Leader, please.
Its Members can hide in cyberspace or behind trees but they will be incinerated not by the Poolbeg incinerator but by the people.
I call Senator Norris.
That is what will happen.
Does the Senator have further questions?
I have two more.
Please be quick.
I have sought a debate in the House on the airport tax. Last week and this week Cork Airport has seen the closing of certain routes. Can the Leader give us a commitment that there will be a debate on the abolition of the tax? When will the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment come to the House to speak not just about jobs in the Dublin Airport Authority but job creation in general? There is no Government jobs policy.
Has the Senator concluded?
No. I am waiting for the Leader to give me his attention.
I am sorry.
The Senator's time is up.
He should sit on his hands again.
Unlike Government Members of the House——
The Senator's time is up. I call Senator Norris.
——there are people who have no jobs——
The Senator's time is up.
——and those Members should listen to them.
I will ask the Senator to leave the Chamber if he continues like this.
The apparent behaviour of the Minister for Defence does raise certain ethical issues, although it is not the most important matter confronting the country. I would welcome a clean-up of electioneering practice. I hope it will not shock Members too much to learn that, even in the sacred groves of academia, things can get mucky at election time, believe me.
That is because there is so little at stake.
I wish to raise a matter which I have raised previously on the Order of Business, on the Adjournment and at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, that is, the existence of camps for Roma families at Cesmin Lug and Osterode in Kosovo. There are 600 people living there in the most heavily lead-contaminated dump in Europe. I also raised this issue with the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, when he was in this country and the human rights commissioner, but nothing is being done. Children are dying at the behest of a United Nations organisation and people are being forcibly repatriated to these camps from a number of European countries. A statement was issued this week by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Thomas Hammarberg, who visited the camps last week. He said:
The fact the camps have been inhabited for a full decade is no less than a scandal. The international community has a large part of the responsibility for this situation ... I call on European states to stop the forced returns until Kosovo can provide adequate living conditions...
It is extraordinary that in the 21st century countries which are members of the Council of Europe and the European Union can forcibly return people to a situation where their health is seriously threatened. Will the Leader, as a matter of urgency, bring the report of Mr. Hammarberg to the attention of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and ask him to see if it is possible to end this practice and rehouse the 600 people concerned? The highest levels of lead concentration have been recorded in the livers and other organs of small children in these camps. It is a moral reproach to Europe.
Politics and politicians are held in low regard. In large part, that is due to low standards in public office. However, when one raises the issue of standards in public office, it is trivialised. Debate is blocked and diverted. It is trivialised by people saying: "Sure, it is just a simple mistake." In this instance, we are dealing with the most serious issues concerning our legal system — a false accusation of criminal behaviour——
We are not going there.
——a false sworn affidavit and the perversion of the course of justice on foot of that affidavit.
We are dealing with questions to the Leader.
I am coming to the question.
We are not getting involved in a case that has finished in the courts.
I am grounding my question.
No, we are taking questions to the Leader. That matter has finished in the courts.
That story did not change, except when the Minister for Defence was caught red-handed, not anticipating that a tape of his interview had been retained. Given these facts, does the Leader accept that the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, cannot recognise the truth and that the Taoiseach and his Cabinet also cannot handle the truth? Will the Leader give me his views on that question?
Paul Cullen of The Irish Times refers to a very serious report in this morning’s newspaper. The report was commissioned by the Department of the Taoiseach on the Department of Health and Children. According to it, there is a scandalous situation in that Department where many staff have little or nothing to do, while others are run off their feet. The Department is in crisis daily. Morale is low and senior management appears to be oblivious or unconcerned by these facts. It is a serious matter to have such waste in such an important Department of State. Are other Departments similarly affected? What are the Leader’s views on the issue?
There is another matter which I intend to raise next week, the serious situation in the south west with regard to the future of the Cork-Swansea ferry.
Why is the Senator raising it today?
It needs to be aired. It was raised in the Lower House yesterday by the former Ceann Comhairle. Does the Leader agree that tourism has been so badly affected that if we are to assist the industry properly, as we should, that service is vital? It is an industry in which the south west and my home constituency lead very well. With the assistance of State agencies, we must get around the state aid rules.
Will the Leader inquire if the newly appointed Irish Commissioner, Mrs. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, would agree to attend a sitting of the Seanad to discuss her excellent portfolio and the opportunities for Ireland within it? It would be particularly useful at this time. Unfortunately, the Opposition seems to spend its time floundering around in pursuit of the next big thing that the media will follow. I want some constructive work to be done on job creation. That would be well served by inviting the Commissioner to attend a sitting of the House.
We should get the Tánaiste in first to see if she can do something about it.
She was here previously but the Senators were not.
That is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
I welcome the "Your Country, Your Call" initiative. We badly need to reflect together on what must be done to harness our national talents to build a better future. Congratulations are due to Mr. McAleese and the others involved. In that context, I welcome Senator Ormonde's comments on the teaching of mathematics. We need to find ways of deploying talented and well qualified individuals, but we also need to have a discussion about how we can continue to maintain quality in the teaching profession in order that teachers will continue to serve us well as a country. I would welcome a debate on the issue at the earliest opportunity.
I understand Henry Kissinger said 90% of politicians gave the other 10% a bad name. I fear what is at issue today is not just the conduct of the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, but that of all of us as politicians. We are back to the culture of looking for a head. It seems to enthuse the media and politicians like nothing else on earth. I deplore a situation where there are no intermediate sanctions. There is no incentive for politicians to "fess up" when they do something wrong because they face the political equivalent of capital punishment. The Opposition ends up sniffing for blood, while the Government circles the wagons and the truth is the casualty. I would like to see maturity in our political process, whereby when people do something wrong — something wrong did happen in this instance — there will be mechanisms in place to undertake appropriate investigations. Senator O'Toole is of the view that this should take place within the House and I agree with him. Proper sanctions should be available in order that we will not have people in utter denial when the whole world knows they are atfault.
I agree with Senators Hannigan and Ryan who called on the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Mary Coughlan, to do all in her power to ensure the Ryanair proposal to create 300 jobs at hangar 6, the old SR Technics site in north Dublin, will not go by the boards. I do not accept that, thus far, she has pulled out all the stops in that regard. If we look back on our period of economic expansion in the early 1990s, there were many multinationals companies for which the Government bent over backwards to try to ensure they invested in Ireland. Ryanair is an Irish multinational and we should not let the opportunity pass. I do not believe the Minister has done everything in her power to ensure 300 jobs are created at hangar 6 in north Dublin.
I support the leader of Fine Gael in the House, Senator Fitzgerald, in her call for a debate on the question of whether the House has confidence in the Minster for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea. I disagree with Senators Mullen and Norris. When a senior Cabinet Minister is shown to have given incorrect information in an affidavit in a High Court case, that is a matter of huge national significance. I do not believe intermediary steps are needed in terms of how he should be treated by the House having broken the law. He is a senior office holder of the State and a practising solicitor. There are two Members of the House who are Green Party members. Where are they this morning? The Leader might be able to enlighten us on the issue.
It is irrelevant if a Member is missing from the House. It is no one's business and the question of where they are should not be raised.
Does the Leader agree that for a qualified solicitor, a senior Cabinet member, to engage in such law-breaking activities——
Questions to the Leader, please.
——in which the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, has engaged, is completely unacceptable? Does the Leader agree that Senator Boyle, in his statements on a bank inquiry and his confidence in the Minister, is acting like Mighty Mouse on Twitter and a church mouse in the House?
It would be opportune to have a debate on the accusations the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, has levelled against a colleague of mine, Councillor Quinlivan. The statements made and, in particular, the leaking of information used by the Minister——
The matter was dealt with in court.
——during a political campaign——
Questions to the Leader, please.
All of us in the House have concerns about the high number unemployed. We had a debate on youth unemployment. Some 85,000 people under the age of 25 years are unemployed and there is no action being taken by the Government to do anything about it. Given the statement made by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Mary Coughlan, yesterday on "Barr Scéalta", during which she discussed the new strategy about to be launched by IDA Ireland which is conducting a review of its strategy and in its first term will launch its 2020 vision, that it will include a policy whereby 50% of all newly created jobs by the IDA will be located in counties Donegal, Sligo, Limerick and Waterford, it is an important initiative. In my report, West Awake, I called for targets to be set for job creation in the western region and sub-regions. I am glad the Minister has acknowledged and started to work towards the achievement of this policy. Her statement yesterday, that the four counties to which I referred will be the location of 50% of all newly created IDA jobs, a policy which will be announced, I understand, next week, forms part of the strategy but she made the announcement on Raidió na Gaeltachta yesterday. We should have a chance to tease out this policy. How does she believe the direction she has given to the IDA will be implemented? How will the blocks and the barriers in the counties concerned be lifted in attracting foreign direct investment? What is the policy to be followed in the rest of the country in attracting inward investment in the light of this new policy? It is important, therefore, that the Tánaiste come to the House to discuss the announcement she made yesterday.
Senators Fitzgerald, Alex White, Twomey, Mary M. White, Hannigan, Healy Eames, Keaveney, Buttimer, Regan, John Paul Phelan and Doherty expressed their views on proceedings in Dáil Éireann yesterday. As we all know, the matter was dealt with in court three months ago. We all know a vote of confidence——
We never mentioned what happened in the Dáil yesterday.
——was taken in the Dáil yesterday——
Senator Cassidy has got his facts wrong.
No interruptions, please.
The Leader is misleading the House.
Senator Buttimer, no interruptions, please. The Leader is replying.
He is misleading the House.
The Leader is replying and if there are interruptions, I will ask the Senator to leave the Chamber immediately.
A vote of confidence in the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, in whom I have every confidence, took place in the Dáil last evening and the motion was carried by 80 votes to 69. Normally matters relating to membership of Dáil Éireann are dealt with in the other House but what has been proposed is unprecedented.
It is not.
In my time in this House——
On a point of order——
Members have a right to raise such an issue if they so wish.
I am glad the Cathaoirleach has clarified the matter. There is a precedenct for tabling such a motion.
Yes, the Opposition can table a motion if it so wishes.
The Minister is a Member of Parliament.
A Senator
It happened in 1991.
I was also a Member of the other House.
Yes, there is a precedent. It happened in 1991.
Senators O'Toole and Keaveney asked for a debate on supports for children with special needs. As I indicated last week, I will have no difficulty in allowing such a debate to take place.
Senators Daly, Quinn and Mullen complimented the President and her dear husband on the initiative, "Your Country, Your Call", which aims to build a better future and encourage everyone who is an innovator to develop job creation proposals. It is something we fully support and we congratulate them on their efforts. We look forward to its success.
Senators Daly, Ó Murchú and Leyden expressed serious concern about the misuse of Irish passports. Many of us heard the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Michéal Martin, speak on radio today on the matter. It is a serious one, on which the Minster has called in the Israeli ambassador today. Perhaps we should leave it and review the position on the Order of Business next Tuesday.
Senators Mary M. White, Healy Eames, Ormonde and Keaveney expressed strong views on the teaching of mathematics and science. I have been a great supporter of this from the time I was Chairman of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, and Small Business. It is a matter of serious concern which, as Senator White who is a champion of industry and has a proven track record in this area said, has to be dealt with head-on. Some Senators are members of the teaching fraternity. The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe should come back to the House for a special debate on the teaching of mathematics and science and the challenges facing the country in terms of job creation, including by multinationals, all of which are linked with attracting high value jobs through IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. I will have no difficulty in arranging a debate on the matter. We should also include in it the issue of funding for third level, a matter brought to the attention of the House by a number of Senators, as well as for the arts, an issue highlighted by Senator Keaveney in the debate on Northern Ireland yesterday.
Senators Hannigan, Ryan and John Paul Phelan sought further support regarding the SR Technics proposal and for the service providers at the airport where there is a quality workforce. These people are highly skilled and available to be re-employed which is of great importance should any further jobs become available in the aviation business. I fully support the call because common sense must prevail. It is never the wrong time to do the right thing and it is right to take this action now.
Senators Quinn and Ormonde complimented the debate on Northern Ireland in the House yesterday in the presence of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin. It was a wonderful debate and I congratulate all Senators for their serious contributions. The Minister stayed a long time in the House for the debate. I note also the comments of Senator Quinn on anthems.
Senator Donohoe spoke of the programme for Government and we can certainly discuss this matter. The Finance Bill will be introduced to the House in two weeks at which time I will allow additional time for Senators to make their points of view on job creation. Perhaps the programme for Government can be discussed at the same time.
Senator Buttimer spoke of airport taxes. This issue should be highlighted on Second Stage of the Finance Bill. There is a good case to be made on this point and the Senator has made it. We all agree that if we can do anything to bring tourists to the country this year we should do it. Tourism is one of the three planks on which we must rebuild our economy.
Senator Norris made a very strong case for the poor people in Kosovo who are living in camps in appalling conditions. Children are dying. I will pass on his strong views for the attention of the Minister.
The report on the Department of Health and Children and related staff duties was brought to the attention of the House by Senator Coghlan. This has been commented upon on many previous occasions. We will have a full debate on health issues and can tease out the issues of this report with the Minister at that stage.
Senator Coghlan spoke also about the Cork-Swansea ferry which is a great help to tourism and to people in the south of the country. The Senator, who comes from the tourism capital, Killarney, knows this is a matter of serious concern to the people of the south and south-west. I fully support his call for any action on getting that ferry into business again.
Senator Hanafin spoke again of the possibility of the Irish Commissioner, Ms Máire Geoghegan Quinn, coming to the House and that would be my wish also. The Committee on Procedure and Privileges may have this issue on its agenda at its next meeting.
Senator Doherty spoke of a new announcement on jobs, which would be of interest also to his constituency colleague, the Tánaiste, Deputy Coughlan. I would welcome the House having a debate that might enhance this proposal.
Order of Business agreed to.