The Order of Business is No. 1, Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 3.45 p.m. and to adjourn at 9 p.m., if not previously concluded.
Order of Business
I ask the Leader to arrange an urgent debate on the soaring hospital waiting lists which are truly appalling. Last Friday the National Treatment Purchase Fund published figures dating from September 2012 to September 2013 which showed that waiting lists have increased by 8,000 persons. The facts are as follows. There were 49,496 persons on the inpatient and day case list in September 2013 which meant an 18% increase on the 2012 figure. That is most alarming and appalling. In addition, the Minister for Health has declined discretionary medical cards for sick children which is a shame.
I also note and welcome, as does this side of the House, the fact that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, has been asked to supervise the Minister for Health's handling of the health budget. I am sure that the Taoiseach, in particular, has lost at least some, if not all, confidence in the Minister for Health.
The most emphatic and worrying issue is the problem facing sick children. It is an appalling vista to know that 42,000 children must await outpatient appointments as of today. That is an amazing figure. In excess of 31,000, or the vast majority, are on the list for Temple Street hospital and Crumlin hospital in Dublin.
Of these figures, some 3,168 are waiting for cardiology appointments, life saving treatments, at Crumlin hospital and a further 1,043 are waiting for cardiology appointments at Temple Street. Some 2,243 children are awaiting eye appointments in Crumlin and 1,570 awaiting similar appointments in Temple Street. Some 3,527 children are awaiting ear, nose and throat appointments in Temple Street while another 1,500 are on the equivalent list in Crumlin hospital. There are 4,706 on the overall list at Crumlin hospital and a further 3,419 at Temple Street hospital. In fact, there are 8,500 children, as we speak, on the waiting lists in Ireland which is a significant increase. This is very worrying because the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, in whom we had faith, in the year running up to the election gave an assurance to the other House that once he took the reins of power he would resolve all the issues confronting the HSE, including waiting lists. One of his critical issues was to reduce waiting lists. I commend him on providing a special €18 million fund to target waiting lists when the waiting lists were at 47,943. The numbers on the waiting lists have increased significantly since then. I am talking about the waiting lists concerning sick children throughout the country. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that either the Minister for Health or the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, come to the House and tell us the plan to alleviate the concern of parents for sick children, our future generations, who are on the waiting lists and are getting worse. If the waiting lists were improving I would be the first to acknowledge it. In this regard the Minister has failed dismally. I ask that either the Minister for Health or the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform come to the House today, as a matter of urgency, and explain what will be done in the coming months rather than years.
I know the Leader will respond to the Senator's comments about hospital waiting lists. I have asked previously and I ask again for a debate in the new year on the children's hospital and on the important and long overdue plans the Government has to establish a new children's hospital. The conditions and the facilities in Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals have been criticised in the past and during boom times. It is most unfortunate that previous governments did not do something to alleviate the conditions there and to ensure that better structures were put in place. I know this Government is committed to that but I ask the Leader for a debate on that issue and on progress with the establishment of the new children's hospital.
I take the opportunity to acknowledge the death last week of Nelson Mandela. As we are all aware the memorial service is taking place in South Africa today. The death of this incredible man, a Nobel Prize winner and former President of South Africa, has had an immense impact internationally and also in Ireland. Many tributes have been paid since his death. The other House is paying its tributes to him this afternoon and we might, at some point, have the opportunity to do that in a more formal manner.
I wish to mark today as international human rights day and commend Dublin City Council for an initiative it has taken in unveiling a monument to another great peacemaker and statesman, Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic. The new commemorative piece, a table and chairs, in memory of Vaclav Haval has been established in St. Patrick's Park, Dublin 8. It was unveiled by the Lord Mayor, Oisín Quinn. The initiative was taken by Mr. Bill Shipsey, SC, from the Bar Council of Ireland, and private funding was raised. Dublin is the second city, after Washington DC, to establish a monument to Havel and Barcelona will follow suit in the new year. It is lovely to commemorate a peacemaker of this stature.
I ask the Leader for a debate on the university panel reform, proposed by the Taoiseach. We are likely to have such a debate in the new year but I want to ensure we have it to see what shape the new expanded graduate panel will take.
In that context, I welcome to the Visitors Gallery Dr. Peadar Ó Mórdha, who is very active in the London branch of the Trinity College Dublin Association, and his distinguished guest, Sir Gavyn Arthur, a High Court judge in London.
I, too, welcome the visitors to the Gallery.
I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, namely, that No. 14, the Critical Utilities (Security of Supply) Bill 2013, be taken before No. 1 today.
A surprising figure I saw during the week concerned a reduction in the number of turkeys produced in Ireland. I gather we will import 1.7 million turkeys this year. Six or seven years ago we were producing 3.5 million turkeys, but the number produced this year will be fewer than 1 million. I wonder what has happened. The vast majority of Irish citizens do not know the turkeys they are buying are imported. The reason is that we do not provide that information.
Some months ago, we considered the Food Provenance Bill 2013 in the House. The Minister said at the time that he was in agreement with everything in the Bill but that he would like to delay it until the European Union introduced its legislation. I gather that legislation will be coming into force next April. At this stage, we should be doing something more than we are doing. I do not believe the vast majority of Irish citizens will know, even with the EU legislation, the provenance of the products they buy. We should be able to identify the sources of products, even where a product contains items from different countries. Second Stage of the Food Provenance Bill was read well. The Minister asked us to hold on until he decided to make further progress on it. I urge him to allow the Bill to proceed or introduce his own version of it in the near future.
I would like the Leader to facilitate early in the new year a debate on the consultation process that has been commenced by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, on schooling costs for parents and families, particularly in regard to school uniforms. Parents state that putting children through school can cost over €500 per annum per child. This is quite a hefty bill on top of everything else. The Minister has made great inroads in reducing the cost of schoolbooks by financing and supporting book rental schemes, but the cost of school uniforms still remains a bugbear for many families. I encourage all parents associated with schools around the country to participate in the consultation process initiated this week. A circular and a questionnaire have been sent to all schools to give parents a direct say in what happens.
I urge parents to take into account another aspect of this matter. The cheapest product is not necessarily the best value. They should take into account the wear and tear of garments and how long they will last. In this regard, we should bear in mind Irish jobs and Irish manufacturers of school uniforms around the country. Importing cheaper products is not necessarily the solution to achieving the best value in school uniforms for children. I encourage all schools and parents to take part in the consultation process. At some stage in the new year, I ask the Leader to facilitate, with the Minister for Education and Skills, a debate on this issue.
On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I mark the occasion of the passing of Nelson Mandela, who was an example to all the world of what can be achieved by peaceful methods. His contribution to world affairs will live for millennia, and so it should. On the occasion of our recalling what was achieved by peaceful means in South Africa, it is worth noting today that the brother of the late Fidel Castro greeted US President Barack Obama by way of a handshake. That was also a very historic moment and one worth mentioning in the House today. Perhaps it is a sign of developments to come involving the United States and Cuba.
I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Denis O'Donovan. There has been an amendment each day on the health issue for many weeks and today it seems there will be a €200 million Supplementary Estimate, as predicted without any pleasure at the beginning of last year by this side of the House. The reality, in terms of the mismanagement of the health service, is clear for all to see. Senator Denis O'Donovan mentioned some of the issues involved. Up to 8,000 children have been waiting for more than a year to see a consultant in the two main children's hospitals. The HSE has revealed that 30,000 persons are on the outpatient lists at Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals. A massive 15,762 are waiting for treatment at Our Lady's hospital in Crumlin, with 3,351 waiting for up to two years. Some 1,150 sick children have been waiting for up to three years to see a heart specialist. Surely this is not a scenario we can celebrate as success in the management of the health service. On prescription charges, in reply to a parliamentary question in the other House the Minister confirmed that if an elderly patient needed two courses of drugs, he or she would be charged double the prescription charge. There will be an overrun of €200 million this year. It was confirmed by the HSE this week that 10,400 persons with serious conditions had had their discretionary medical cards withdrawn. That is before the beginning of the cull to save €113 million in the year ahead on medical cards. All of this is set against a backdrop against which the Minister states that in the year ahead he will save €666 million under the health service plan, a plan we have not seen. I implore the Leader to bring forward the plan before the end of the year in order that it is not lost within the festive season. It is important that we discuss it.
It is a disgrace that the Local Government Bill 2013 has been kicked to the back end of next week. We in this House are to be ignored and treated with the same level of contempt and disdain which led to a referendum which the people rightly rejected. I ask the Leader to note that vital legislation such as this cannot merely be stuffed in here in the last couple of days when it suits the Dáil. We ought to have had time to consider the Local Government Bill 2013 and the health service plan in an appropriate fashion, but that will not happen in the last couple of days before Christmas. The Government had time to bring forward these matters previously. It could have initiated such legislation and debates in this House, but it chose not to do so and it has shown again its contempt for democracy in so doing.
There is a good news story in the health area. I was glad to hear that in the past week there were 12 kidney transplants done in a four day period. It was a significant achievement by the medical personnel involved in the hospitals concerned. This indicates the work that must be done. When we entered government, there were on average 150 transplants a year. We need to target a figure of 300 per annum and progress is being made in that regard. It was down to a lack of planning that this occurred between 2000 and 2010. Referring back to what my colleagues said about waiting lists for children, there has been a lack of planning in medical provision for children in the sense that the birth rate has increased dramatically, from 60,000 to 75,000 per annum. There was an equivalent lack of planning for an increase in paediatric consultants during that ten-year time period. As a result, we are suffering the consequences. It is quite easy for Members on the other side of the House to criticise the Minister on this issue, but there was a lack of planning in employing additional staff and we now must deal with that issue. The Minister is dealing with it. It is something at which we must look and tackle in order to deal with the issues raised by my colleagues. No doubt the Minister will be dealing with it in the next few months.
I second Senator Feargal Quinn's amendment to the Order of Business.
On the day on which we are all paying tribute to the late Nelson Mandela, the day of his memorial service, I welcome to the Visitors Gallery Ms Leanna Byrne, communications officer of the students' union in TCD, and Mr. Tom Lenihan, its president.
The students' union renamed House 6 Nelson Mandela House when Mandela was still in jail. There is, therefore, a strong connection between the students' union and Nelson Mandela and I am pleased its representatives have joined us today. The Lenihan family has made many contributions to public life.
I welcome Judge Smithwick's report on the shootings of Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan. At the end of his most comprehensive report, which runs to 432 pages, Judge Smithwick recommends the establishment of an integrated Border intelligence team between the two jurisdictions on the island modelled on the team in operation on the United States-Canada border. I hope our ambassadors to Canada and the United States will be asked to brief the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Justice and Equality on how the team operates. I ask the Leader to provide information to the House in advance of our discussion on the Smithwick report on how the integrated border intelligence team between the United States and Canada works. Relations between the United Kingdom and Ireland and the authorities, North and South, are at least as harmonious as relations between the United States and Canada. A Border intelligence team may be a good model to explore before the House debates the Smithwick report.
I, too, pay tribute to Nelson Mandela. He was a man, the like of which the world has rarely seen, and we may not see a man of such calibre again in our lifetimes. It is important to remember that Nelson Mandela brought home to us that we are all connected by a universal human thread and strongly emphasised what constitutes humanity. It is also important to remember that he was cut off from and denied humanity during his incarceration of many years. It is in that context that I raise the report published by the Irish Refugee Council today on the system of direct provision and the manner in which asylum seekers are treated. Many asylum seekers are incarcerated in the system of direct provision. The Irish Refugee Council makes clear in its recommendations that significant changes are required to the system. It does not behove us, on a day when Nelson Mandela is being honoured by the people of Ireland through the attendance of our President and Tánaiste at his funeral in South Africa, to allow a system of direct provision to operate, under which children are being raised without family life and adults and families are effectively imprisoned. It is not acceptable that we allow this system to continue.
It was with deep sadness that many of us learned of the death of Madiba - Nelson Mandela. Senators cannot do justice to him or to his legacy in contributions on the Order of Business. Given Nelson Mandela's international stature and achievements, I hope the Leader will allow the Seanad to do him justice by allowing Senators on all sides to make full contributions this week. Nelson Mandela was a freedom fighter and peacemaker who understood that there is a time for war and a time for peace. We should take time to have a proper and full examination of his life and what he stood for and to pay tribute to his greatness. The world has lost a great statesman. I hope the Leader will allow time this week for all of us to make comprehensive contributions on this important issue.
I support the amendment to the Order of Business and concur with comments made on increasing waiting times. I raised this issue several times with the Minister for Health who consistently denies there has been any increase in waiting times for patients. In some specialties waiting times are now in excess of two years. I cited a number of examples in Waterford where, as the Leader will be aware, people continue to wait far too long to access orthopaedic services. The problem is not only the time people must wait for the treatment they need but the difficulty they experience even securing an appointment with a consultant. We must discuss this issue with the Minister.
The issue of top-up payments to chief executives of voluntary hospitals is also simmering and causing considerable anger and frustration among citizens.
It is important for the sake of accountability and transparency that we have a proper and independent investigation of the issue so we can find out exactly who knew what, from the Minister and the HSE to the boards and the CEOs. It is unacceptable that we will be discussing increases in waiting times for patients at a time when these top-up payments are being made.
I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, namely that the Minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language come to the House to discuss the resignation of the Irish Language Commissioner. Senator Ó Clochartaigh will speak more about that subject when he seconds the amendment.
I join the expressions of sympathy with the people of South Africa on the passing of Nelson Mandela. Many things have been said about him and no words of mine would be adequate to describe his greatness or his contribution to the world. President Obama described him as the last great liberator of the 20th century. South Africa lost the father of the nation, a man of vision and a great hero. He was a man of great of humanity and forgiveness who, despite being incarcerated for 27 years, worked to bring about peace in his country. He has left his mark on the world and we need to build on his legacy. I support the request to the Leader to arrange for statements to be made in his honour this week. In the longer term, we should debate with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade how the Mandela legacy can have an impact on the parts of the world that are being ravaged by war and strife. The greatest tribute we could pay to Nelson Mandela would be to create something lasting.
I congratulate the State's industrial relations machinery on brokering an agreement that will ensure we have power supplies over Christmas and that the elderly and businesses will not be discommoded. The fear that people would be without electricity over Christmas has caused considerable distress in recent days. I refer in particular to the elderly. It is time for a debate on what needs to be done to protect vital infrastructure in this country. This is an area of discussion in which the House can play a significant role.
I join my colleagues in paying tribute to the late Nelson Mandela. I trust the Leader will arrange a more substantial timeframe for additional statements in the coming weeks. I note with satisfaction Senator Bacik's comments on the unveiling of a memorial to the former President of Czechoslovakia, Václav Havel, who was a politician of huge moral substance. To speak of Havel and Mandela in the same breath offers very positive guidance for everyone who is involved in politics.
I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the issue of housing from the perspective of people who are on housing lists or are attempting to purchase houses. There has been much talk of an improved market but I am concerned that we are beginning to welcome an increase in house prices as if it is somehow a panacea for the economy or will get Ireland back to work. Let us not forget that much, if not all, of our current economic dilemma and misery was caused by house prices. We should be cautious in our welcome of the movement in the property market. Hundreds of thousands of people in the private rented sector and on local authority housing lists have an interest in securing homes.
I have enormous political and personal respect for the Minister for Finance, but I was unhappy yesterday to hear him welcome the availability of interest-only loans to landlords for the purchase of private rented accommodation. There are people other than landlords who could benefit hugely from interest-only loans. I am concerned that in our blinkered desire to restore this country to economic sanity and encourage development and the creation of jobs, we could fall into the same trap into which we fell, eyes open, in the 1990s. Property became a type of god and the massive rises in house prices ruined our country. We must be very cautious to ensure that does not happen again. I am calling for a substantive debate on housing policies and options as early as possible in the new year.
I welcome the calling off of the ESB blackout that was threatened for next week. The resolution of the dispute represents a win-win situation for all concerned. Last week I appealed for all sides to engage in negotiations and for common sense to prevail. Fortunately, that is what happened, and the threatened strike has been called off to the benefit of all concerned.
Ba mhaith liom freisin fáilte a chur roimh an tuarascáil a foilsíodh inniu, Direct Provision: Framing an alternative reception system for people seeking international protection. B'fhéidir go mbeadh díospóireacht againn faoi sin lá níos faide anonn. I congratulate the Irish Refugee Council, which is celebrating 21 years in operation this year, on the publication of the report, as referred to by Senator Aideen Hayden. It is arguing in this document for basic human rights agus ceann de na cearta atá á shárú ar bhealach náireach i láthair na huaire ná cearta na saoránach maidir leis an nGaeilge a úsáid sa Státchóras.
Ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an leasú atá molta ar Riar na hOibre. I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator David Cullinane, go n-iarradh muid ar Aire na Gaeltachta teacht isteach inniu le plé a dhéanamh ar chás náireach an Coimisinéir Teanga. I am totally taken aback by how lightly the Government is taking the issue of the resignation of the Coimisinéir Teanga, Mr. Seán Ó Cuirreáin. He was appointed to the role under presidential seal and is in the position of an ombudsman. In fact, it is the first time in the history of the State that an ombudsman has seen fit to resign on a point of principle, namely, that he is not getting the support he requires from the Government to do what he needs to do in upholding the law of the land. This is an incredibly serious issue which the Government should be taking much more seriously. We need an urgent debate with the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to explain why this happened and why the Minister did not reassure the commissioner that he would put in place the necessary resources. It is not even necessarily a question of money; it is more about support from Departments and via Government policy to allow the coimisinéir to do his work properly. I am calling for that debate today. Tá súil agam go dtógfaidh an Ceannaire an cheist iontach tromchúiseach seo dáiríre. Déanadh beag-is-fiú dó an tseachtain seo caite. Ba mhaith linn go dtabharfadh an aird is cóir dó.
Senators Denis O'Donovan and Marc MacSharry referred to hospital waiting lists, with particular reference to children awaiting an appointment. Given that the Minister for Health is in Brussels today attending a meeting of health Ministers, I cannot accede to the request to amend the Order of Business to bring him to the House for a debate on this issue.
Since the special delivery unit was established by the Minister in July 2011, significant progress has been made in reducing the number of patients on hospital trolleys and on waiting lists. For example, by the end of last year, there was a 98% decrease in the number of people waiting more than nine months for an inpatient or day case appointment, a 95% decrease in the number of children waiting 20 weeks, and a 99% reduction in the number of people waiting more than 13 weeks for routine endoscopies. The early months of the year brought severe pressures on emergency departments, which had an impact on waiting times.
The Minister for Health has set a target of eliminating inpatient waiting lists of over eight months by the end of the year. The increase in 2013 was as a result much greater than expected, with a 16% increase in total numbers waiting between December 2012 and July 2013. However, through the sustained intervention of the special delivery unit, the trend is now reversed, with a 5% reduction in total numbers waiting and a 42% reduction in the number waiting over eight months since end of July 2013. As of 21 November 2013, 3,393 people had been waiting more than eight months. A range of actions are being undertaken to assist in meeting this year’s target, including the use of the €18 million intervention fund to meet the target, developing and monitoring special plans with hospitals where elective waiting lists are under pressure, identifying increased capacity and capability across hospital groups, increasing operating theatre lists, the development of a national analysis of risks affecting hospital and specialty-level performance, the agreement of mitigation plans with hospital senior leadership, and direct interventions at site level in some hospitals where there are particular challenges. One cannot say the Minister is not acting as much as he possibly can. To have one child on a waiting list is unacceptable, but the Minister is doing his utmost to solve the problem. I hope we can have him in the Chamber before we break next week. Senator Bacik pointed out that the Government is committed to plans for a national children's hospital. It is something the Minister should debate with us so that he can outline the progress made in that regard.
Senators Bacik, MacSharry, Cullinane and Mullins spoke about Nelson Mandela, a wonderful man and an outstanding statesman of our time, who was dedicated to peace and reconciliation. Forgiveness is the word used most often in describing him. I agree that we should have a debate, which Senator Bradford also called for. I suggest that we amend the Order of Business and have tributes to Nelson Mandela from 9 p.m to 10.30 p.m.
Senator Quinn proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 14 be taken before No. 1. I will accede to that request to amend the Order of Business. I note his points about the Food Provenance Bill and I will seek an update on it.
Senator Whelan referred to school costs. He rightly pointed out that the Minister for Education and Skills is requesting schools to start balloting parents on uniform policy. The move is aimed at giving parents a greater say on the uniform, if any, that a school should have and tackling the high cost of some uniforms. Schools have been sent a ballot paper on school uniforms to issue to parents. The survey was developed in consultation with the education partners and asks two main questions: whether parents want the school to have a uniform and, if so, whether they want generic or bespoke uniforms. Schools are being asked to send the surveys to parents by February to allow boards of management time to consider the results and to make any changes warranted by September. That is to be welcomed by everyone.
Senator MacSharry referred to the Local Government Bill. It is planned to deal with all Stages of the Local Government Bill next week, with Second Stage on Monday and Committee and Report Stages on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
I assure the Senator that the debate on the Bill will not be guillotined and that we will have an adequate debate on it. We will see what progress we make on it next week.
Last week Senator O'Brien asked for an update on the pyrite Bill and I indicated that it would not be with us before Christmas. However, I understand the Cabinet has agreed that the Bill will be published and that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is anxious that it be taken next week in this House. I will examine that possibility.
I agree that a great deal of legislation is being packed into a number of weeks which is not desirable, but we have experienced this year after year in the House. It is not acceptable to have so much legislation being put through the House. There were weeks when we were begging for legislation and could not get it. We will do the best we can in progressing the Bills that will be brought before us this week and next week, but I have no intention of rushing any of them through.
Senator Colm Burke has pointed out in the context of the health service that 12 kidney transplants were carried out in four days last week. That is testimony to the wonderful consultants we have in the health service. While we may speak about their salaries and so on from time to time, their excellence in carrying out such transplants and the other work they do needs to be recognised.
Senator Sean D. Barrett referred to the Smithwick tribunal's report and the issue of an integrated Border intelligence unit. I note his points in this context regarding Canada and the United States. I assure him that we will have a debate early in the new year on the report.
Senators Aideen Hayden and Trevor Ó Clochartaigh referred to the report on direct provision by the Irish Refugee Council. We had a debate on this issue previously. I agree that we should probably debate the report early in the new year.
Senator David Cullinane referred to top-up payments. The Government is concerned about this issue and will take action in this regard. I do not propose to accept the Senator's amendment to the Order of Business on the Irish Language Commissioner. I addressed the issue on the Order of Business last week.
Senators Michael Mullins and Terry Brennan commented on the ESB dispute. The settlement is unqualified good news at this critical juncture in the country's economic recovery and at this critical time of the year. The unions and management deserve credit for ending the uncertainty that threatened disproportionate damage to the country's best interests. I compliment everyone involved, in particular the Labour Relations Commission.
Senator Paul Bradford called for a debate on housing and urged caution on the issue of house prices. I have requested that the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government come to the House, but she will not appear prior to Christmas. I hope she will be present early in the new year.
I accept Senator Feargal Quinn's amendment to the Order of Business. Tributes to Nelson Mandela will be taken between 9 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., with all Senators having five minutes to contribute.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
Senator Denis O'Donovan has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, "That a debate with the Minister for Health on the need to address the worsening waiting lists for the treatment of sick children be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?
Amendment put:
The Seanad divided: Tá, 14; Níl, 28.
Tá
- Barrett, Sean D.
- Cullinane, David.
- Leyden, Terry.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- Mooney, Paschal.
- Ó Clochartaigh, Trevor.
- Ó Domhnaill, Brian.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Donovan, Denis.
- O'Sullivan, Ned.
- Power, Averil.
- Quinn, Feargal.
- Reilly, Kathryn.
- Wilson, Diarmuid.
Níl
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Brennan, Terry.
- Burke, Colm.
- Clune, Deirdre.
- Coghlan, Eamonn.
- Coghlan, Paul.
- Comiskey, Michael.
- Conway, Martin.
- Cummins, Maurice.
- D'Arcy, Jim.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Gilroy, John.
- Hayden, Aideen.
- Higgins, Lorraine.
- Keane, Cáit.
- Kelly, John.
- Landy, Denis.
- Mac Conghail, Fiach.
- Moran, Mary.
- Mullins, Michael.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Noone, Catherine.
- O'Donnell, Marie-Louise.
- O'Keeffe, Susan.
- Sheahan, Tom.
- van Turnhout, Jillian.
- Whelan, John.
- Zappone, Katherine.
Tellers: Tá, Senators Ned O'Sullivan and Diarmuid Wilson; Níl, Senators Paul Coghlan and Aideen Hayden.
Amendment declared lost.