Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 9

Issue of Cork North-Central By-Election Writ: Motion.

Mr. Ferris

I move:

That the Ceann Comhairle direct the Clerk of the Dáil to issue his Writ for the election of a Member to fill the vacancy which has occurred in the membership of the present Dáil consequent on the death of Deputy Gerry O'Sullivan, a Member for the constituency of Cork North-Central.

It is with a sense of sadness that we in the Labour Party find it necessary to come before you today to move this writ for the by-election in Cork North-Central. The death of our colleague and friend, Gerry O'Sullivan, has given rise to this by-election. There is no need for me to remind the House — I have already paid tribute to his memory — how much we all feel his loss.

Gerry O'Sullivan was elected to the Dáil in 1989 and appointed to the office of Minister of State within a very short time. He was a very hard worker, an able negotiator and, above all, a man who never lost touch with the people he grew up with in his constituency. His door at his home in Baker's Road was always open to every constituent, whatever the circumstances, and they knew that. He enjoyed nothing more than a stroll down Shandon Street on a Saturday afternoon, as was referred to by the Tánaiste in his tributes to him. That is what politics meant to Gerry. He had an easy manner and a lovely way with people which made him popular with everybody, young and old, and with every Member of this House who had the honour to serve with him.

Gerry O'Sullivan never regarded his seat, for which he worked so hard as his personal property. His job as a public representative was the focus of his life but he knew he was only holding the seat in trust, as indeed are all of us, for the constituents he represented and the party from which he accepted the Whip. He would have wished the by-election to go ahead as quickly as possible because he would have liked to make sure the people in his north city constituency would not be denied the best possible representation in the Dáil.

We in the Labour Party are very glad that Gerry's daughter, Lisa, has decided to put her name forward as a candidate in this by-election — she offered herself to a convention in Cork last Sunday. We must pay tribute to her for offering herself to her contituents in the difficult task of serving them in public life. We would be particularly proud to welcome her into the Chamber in this term.

Members of the Opposition have put forward the theory that to elect another TD for the Government party will serve no useful purpose for the people of Cork, and I have listened to this argument with amazement. That is simply not true. If they do not believe me, they should canvass on the streets where they will get the message. Many of the people of Cork would tell them who was the saviour of Irish Steel. Nobody can deny the part played, directly or indirectly, by this Government in the case of Irish Steel, for the good of Cork and the economy generally. I pay tribute to my colleagues in Government, the Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, the Tánaiste and Deputies Toddy O'Sullivan and John Mulvihill who worked night and day to make sure Irish Steel was saved.

Mr. Rabbitte

And Bishop Magee.

Mr. Ferris

We pay tribute to everybody who helped. We are proud to have played an active role in ensuring the matter was brought to a satisfactory conclusion. We know the importance of Irish Steel to the people of Cork. We also know the importance of education. In this regard the Minister for Education, Deputy Bhreathnach, sanctioned the building of a new community school in Glanmire, Cork. People who advocate that the Government is doing nothing should read the record. Unfortunately they like to rake muck during an election campaign, but the record of Ministers, particularly in Cork, can stand scrutiny.

The people of Cork know that the Minister for Health, Deputy Howlin, allocated funding to the Mercy Hospital and is committed to the complete redevelopment of facilities there. The port of Cork, in which the late Gerry O'Sullivan was directly involved has been transformed in recent years due to allocations of funding for its development. It is also due to benefit from further allocations of EU Cohesion Funds. The people know of the Minister, Deputy Stagg's visit to Cork to see the urgent need for remedial works on many of the flat complexes there. He has embarked on a major programme of renovation and refurbishment.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

Let us give a good hearing to the Member in possession.

Mr. Ferris

I suggest that the Opposition listen to some of these comments. They have been advocating doom and gloom for a long time and the truth must be told. The people know that waiting lists in the Southern Health Board area have been reduced as a result of Deputy Howlin's initiatives and that the health board's overdraft was significantly reduced by using funds raised by the tax amnesty, about which everybody was concerned. This was advocated by some Opposition Members in various committees.

Mr. Durkan

A few Members over there were concerned about it too.

Mr. Ferris

When my party colleagues come to Cork to campaign they will realise that the main entry and exit routes have been greatly upgraded, and work will continue in this regard. Gerry O'Sullivan, unlike some of my colleagues on the left, never made election promises. However, he promised that if elected he would work night and day for the good of his constituents. He did so without fear or favour. I am sure that Lisa now offering herself for election will give the same commitment and, like her father, will never turn a constituent from the door. I am sure we will have the opportunity to introduce her to the Ceann Comhairle in this House after the by-election. On the other by-election, Councillor Gerry O'Flynn is capable of taking a seat for the Labour Party. We are ready for this by-election.

Mr. Allen

The Deputy got the name wrong; he should have said Joe O'Flynn.

Miss Harney

It is very difficult to follow that contribution. The vacancy in Cork North Central arises from the untimely and sad death of the late Gerry O'Sullivan while the vacancy in Cork South Central arises from circumstances I regret. It arises as a result of a commitment made on behalf of my party to the electorate in Cork South Central in the November 1992 election. I and my colleagues in the parliamentary party felt bound to honour the commitment made in order to seek electoral support and we paid a very heavy price. Sometimes in politics doing the right thing does not necessarily mean winning short term popular support. We now have an opportunity to replace the two Deputies. I am delighted the Government is proposing the writ in one case and apparently not opposing it in the other. Unfortunately we had to wait 18 months earlier in the life of this Dáil to replace two other vacancies and the Government parties learned their lesson from that long wait.

This election arose in very strange circumstances and the people of Cork will have an opportunity to pass judgment on the Government. To a large extent the two by-elections will be referenda on the Government's performance. For the last few weeks we had a Government in exile, with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste meeting at a military base to talk to each other. When the Taoiseach phones the Tánaiste and vice versa it is a major news item. That is not a natural Government. There was a row about judicial appointments which the public finds difficult to understand.

Because some spin doctor decided he needed a brain child — Tinakilly House — to pretend to the public that all was well, the Government departed yesterday for a one day honeymoon. It may have had beef — I saw the menu — and it may have had tipsy pudding, but it certainly had some fudge as well. From what we heard earlier, there has been much fudge and we are still none the wiser about the Government's intentions. Anyone who thinks this is a cohesive Government simply has to look at the comments of the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach. The Tánaiste told us yesterday he will make proposals to the Government, in order to get one up on the Minister for Justice, and today we heard that some of the proposals will be followed through by the Minister for Justice, but apparently there will be no proposals relating to the Offences Against the State Act.

I wish to refer to a number of issues. On 1 September when we debated the report of the Beef Tribunal the Tánaiste said, column 445 of the Official Report of Thursday, 1 September: "The way in which we in this House deal with this report has the potential to mark a defining moment in public life in this country". With Fianna Fáil, the Labour Party walked through the lobbies thus preventing Deputies on the Opposition benches from questioning the Taoiseach or any Minister about the policy disaster between the years 1987 and 1989. Since then questions tabled by me and other Opposition leaders have been transferred by the Taoiseach to the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Deputy McCreevy, who was not even a member of the 1987-89 Government.

This Government is not accountable to the Dáil, does not want to level with the people and does not believe in openness, transparency and truth. These will be among the issues that will be debated in the forthcoming by-elections. Accountability in public life is extremely important and in a parliamentary democracy the people we elect to the highest office in the land should be accountable.

Earlier, by way of a point of order, I asked the Ceann Comhairle why he had ruled a question of mine out of order on the grounds that it could lead to argument. It was a simple question: when did the Taoiseach cease his managerial involvement with C & D Foods? On two occasions the chairman of the beef tribunal said that there would have been no need for a tribunal if questions had been answered in the Dáil. On some occasions it was a case of Ministers failing to answer questions but, unfortunately, on others it was a case of the Ceann Comhairle not allowing the questions in the first place. The circumstances which led to the beef tribunal, unfortunately, still exist today. The extract from the book, The Longford Leader, published last Sunday showed that the Taoiseach in 1982 was still actively involved with C & D Foods. On 30 May in this House the Taoiseach told us that he had not been involved with that company for 14 years and he told the beef tribunal that he had been involved up to 1987. This is a contradiction, yet we cannot ask any questions. Perhaps Deputy McDowell and Deputy Rabbitte will have to get together and agree to another Bill to allow us an opportunity to discuss the matter in the House.

Mr. Cowen

Another tribunal.

Miss Harney

If the Minister answered questions there would be no need for a tribunal. We also had the Masri passport affair.

Mr. Cowen

We are moving from beef to dog food.

Miss Harney

There are many companies in Cork which, given the opportunity to avail of a £1.1 million soft loan, would be able to employ several more people. It is the small companies around Cork which badly need financial investment. If they were given the opportunity that the Taoiseach's family company was given, how many jobs would they be able to create for the people of Cork?

Deputy Ferris referred to the amnesty; I thought the Labour Party had forgotten about that. The candidates who will stand for the Labour Party and Fianna Fáil in the by-election stand for the amnesty. What was the purpose of that amnesty?

Mr. Ferris

Money.

Miss Harney

The Deputy is right, its purpose was to raise money but the message to compliant taxpayers was that they should pay their taxes and if they were late they would be fined——

Mr. Ferris

We gave the money to the health boards.

Miss Harney

——whereas the message sent to the tax cheats who did not believe that they should participate fairly in the economy was that there would be another amnesty in a few years time and they would be looked after.

Mr. J. Bruton

Ethics in Government.

Miss Harney

Even in cases where the Revenue Commissioners knew the amounts outstanding companies got away with paying 15 per cent. A constituent of Deputy Rabbitte and mine invested all his redundancy money in a business. Recently he had his C2 certificate withdrawn by the Revenue Commissioners even though he owed less than £6,000. As a result he has gone out of business. That person asked me recently if, having regard to the way Larry Goodman was treated, there was any point in trying.

I am disappointed that the Labour Party in particular is prepared to keep its head down, its mouth shut and stay in office at any cost. As recent events have proved, with a few honourable exceptions, when the Labour Party enters Government it wants to stay there.

Many issues will be raised during the by-elections, the most important of which must be unemployment. It is interesting to note that in the three years up to last August unemployment in Cork rose by 7 per cent. In Limerick and Waterford the figures declined by 5 per cent and 2 per cent respectively. The reason the figure has risen so high in Cork is that Cork does not have any clout at the Cabinet table. While Farranfore Airport has received generous grants for marketing and development Cork Airport has received absolutely nothing.

Mr. Cowen

The Deputy should get her facts right.

Miss Harney

No doubt it will receive something because of the by-elections. Suddenly in the middle of the heating season when householders have bought fuel and suppliers have bought stocks a ban on coal is announced.

I wish to refer to the famous incinerator and refer journalists and others to the headlines which appeared in The Cork Examiner in 1991 and early 1992. One such headline read “Harney clashes with Smith about the need for incinerator”. If one was to read those articles one would see what the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Smith, thought of the idea that Deputy Batt O'Keeffe thought the incinerator should be located in Cork South Central, that he told the Seanad that would lead to the creation of thousands of jobs and that it was the then Minister of State, Deputy Harney, who had lost the run of herself in preventing the creation of these jobs. I hope the Minister will remind those gentlemen of their record on this issue.

I spoke about the honeymoon in Tinakilly yesterday. Deputy McManus spoke about the beauty of County Wicklow, particularly for the one day honeymoon but the confetti has been flowing to Cork since the Government decided to hold the by-elections. Minister after Minister has trotted down, with a little here and a little there but the people of Cork will not be fooled. They know that this Government does not deserve an extra seat; it does not need it. It has a 35 seat majority in this Dáil and we know the way it treats it. It would not allow questions to the Taoiseach or Ministers about the Beef Tribunal or about so many other issues. The Taoiseach simply throws up his hands in the air and refuses to answer. That, it seems, is considered an acceptable way to behave.

Last week the Taoiseach referred to his being remunerated at the rate of £3 an hour. That was funny and amusing but what was more funny was that it was first announced on radio by the General Secretary of Fianna Fáil and repeated by the Taoiseach and several of his backbenchers in the Dáil, not one of whom had the wit to get their calculators out, never mind to use their brain, and realise that the figure was wrong. This is how we found ourselves caught in the £8 billion bag and in the mess about the amnesty and so many other issues.

Mr. Cowen

Pat Cox said the figure would be £7.5 billion.

Mr. M. McDowell

He was closer than the Taoiseach, the Minister and his friends.

An Ceann Comhairle

Let us hear Deputy Harney without interruption.

Mr. Rabbitte

Can you control the Minister, a Cheann Comhairle, he is being unruly?

Miss Harney

These by-elections will give the people of Cork their opportunity to look at the representatives who will go before them.

Mr. Yates

I thought there were regulations against rottweilers.

Mrs. Owen

They are illegal.

Miss Harney

For the benefit of Deputy Ferris, I wish to refer to one of the Labour Party candidates. Councillor Joe O'Flynn, a candidate in Cork South Central, had this to say, as reported in The Cork Examiner yesterday: “I will not be campaigning on Government policies; I am only going to campaign on Labour Party policies”. At least there is someone standing by the Labour Party's policies but whoever the people vote for they are voting for the amnesty and the arrogant way in which the Government is treating this Dáil.

Mr. Cowen

There has been arrogance in government but not this Government. That is why Pat Cox is in Europe today.

Miss Harney

The Minister's problem is we knew how to deal with his party.

An Ceann Comhairle

There is a strict time limit to this debate and interruptions are particularly unwelcome, if not disorderly, from either side of the House.

Miss Harney

We are not going to stay in power at any cost. The future of Telecom Éireann and the telecommunications industry is of vital importance, not just for ordinary consumers and business, but for the State sector generally. It now seems that Telecom Éireann is going to fall victim to an ideological row within Government.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Cowen

Speculation.

Miss Harney

Even the Minister, Deputy Cowen, who praised himself for many years for being the tough guy, has been silenced on this issue.

Mr. Cowen

I am not as tough as the Deputy.

Miss Harney

Why? Because at all costs the Government must try to stay together and pretend that everything is all right.

Mr. Rabbitte

He is a big pussy cat.

Mr. Cowen

A big softie.

Miss Harney

While we are talking about the row on the appointments of High Court judges——

Mr. Durkan

He does not seem to get his swing together.

Miss Harney

——the Taoiseach recently referred to the fact that the Government would appoint an additional High Court judge, four Circuit Court judges and four District Court judges. As the Government is in the mood to look at judicial appointments, may I suggest that it appoint an additional Circuit Court judge to Cork to deal with the 7,000 cases on the waiting list and the three year backlog of work?

Mr. Martin

It is on the way.

Miss Harney

It might assign an additional High Court judge who could discharge and apply the jurisdiction of the High Court in the Cork region. The Government has been involved in silly rows about the Judiciary but that is a practical proposal.

It is extremely important that the voters of Cork vote as often as possible— as they used to say in other places — and that they turn out to vote. Many are so disgusted they may feel there is no point when the Government has such a huge majority. The voters in Cork North-Central and in Cork South-Central have an opportunity to teach this Government a lesson and to send them a strong message that they are fed up with the childish tantrums being thrown by the two most senior politicians, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. The rest of the country does not have this chance but the people of those two constituencies have an opportunity to teach this Government a lesson and make it clear that they have had enough by voting for candidates of Opposition parties. I do not believe that this is the forum to praise one's own candidates but my party is contesting vigorously both constituencies and we will be standing on our record and on our unique policies on unemployment, tax reform, accountability in public office and some of the other issues to which I referred earlier.

Mr. Allen

Sir, I wish to share my time with Deputy Yates.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Mr. Allen

The by-elections in these two constituencies are being held for different reasons. The by-election in Cork North-Central is being held under tragic circumstances on the death of our committed and courageous colleague, the late Deputy Gerry O'Sullivan, whose death is a sad loss to his colleagues, constituents and his family. The by-election in Cork South-Central is due to the resignation of the former Deputy Pat Cox who has become a member of the European Parliament.

The democratic process dictates that we must hold these by-elections. A Dáil seat is not our property but the gift of our bosses, the electorate. A seat is similar to a library book and public representatives must surrender their seat after a maximum of five years or on death and the electorate must then lend it for a period. Cork has gone through a traumatic and worrying time in recent weeks. During the crisis in Irish Steel not a Minister was to be seen, but once the matter was resolved and the by-election campaign got under way, flocks of Ministers, and I use that word because now they usually fly to Cork, have descended on Cork in the past weeks.

The Taoiseach, fresh from his adventures abroad, consented to travel to Cork to see the country football final which conveniently happened to coincide with the Fianna Fáil conventions that evening.

I forecast that Cork city will be the beneficiary of many promises and commitments, grants and formal openings during the next number of weeks. Already we have had proposed solutions to problems of many years, for example the announcement of incinerators closing in two of our hospitals last week and the report published today— obviously leaked — that the planned sewage treatment plant for Little Island may be moved further down to an area owned by a semi-State company. I will believe that when I see it.

The people of Cork are a sensitive, sensible level-headed people who will not be fooled by political patronisation over the coming weeks. They will remember this Government's neglect and abandonment of Cork in recent years. As Deputy Harney said, there are 20,000 people looking for work and areas of my constituency on the north side of the city have the highest percentage of unemployment in the country. The lack of Government funding has led to the disintegration of many of our city streets and quay walls. There are now fewer garda on the streets to combat rising crime in our city. There are 2,500 families on the local authority housing waiting list and Cork is experiencing the most serious housing crisis in decades. The airport in our second largest city is not being given adequate funding to market itself. There is also a shortage of places in UCC and in Cork regional technical college which has led to undue pressure on students and parents alike. The future of Collins Barracks and Ballincollig Barracks is uncertain because of threatened Government cut backs. Why has all this happened? Simply because Cork has not had a senior Minister in Cabinet since 1987. We have had the taxation of unemployment benefit and the dirty dozen social welfare cut backs at the same time as the scandal of the tax amnesty. Where are the priorities?

The housing problem in Cork has become more serious this week as a result of the Government's U-turn on the sale of flats under the tenant purchase scheme. This has crushed the hopes of hundreds of Cork Corporation tenants but I will be dealing with this in more detail on the adjournment this evening. The Government has treated the women of Cork North-Central and of Cork South-Central in a shabby way. The Minister for Social Welfare, Deputy Woods, has consistently denied them arrears of social welfare payments. These women were faced with a veil of secrecy and a wall of silence in their efforts to get their entitlements. Now that the by-elections have been called I hope they will see a resolution of that problem.

I welcome the moving of the writs for the by-elections in Cork North-Central and in Cork South-Central because I believe the Government is in for a rude awakening as it exits from its cocoon of power privilege into the real world. It will be brought down to earth in its efforts to secure votes in Cork North-Central. The Ministers will be brought back to reality on the doorsteps when they canvass for votes. I am convinced that the Government will receive a double hammer blow with the rejection of its candidates. The people of Cork are sick of jobs for the boys, the massive pay increases for the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, who are frequently absent from the country, the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Beef Industry, the passports for sale and the fight over judicial appointments, with the leaders not talking to each other, not trusting each other and ignoring industrial disputes. The list goes on and on.

People will vote for Fine Gael because we are the party that has taken chances. We have taken chances in the industrialisation of the country as well as on the northern problem. This party stands for decent standards in politics, unlike the sleaze——

Mr. Martin

Irish Shipping?

Mr. Allen

——of the present Government over the past years.

Mr. Martin

Verlome dockyard.

Mr. Allen

The Deputy will get his chance. He, of course, is after a car.

We stand for the reduction of the power of Big Brother in the guise of the Government so that it does not interfere in the day-to-day lives of citizens. Voting for a protest candidate will let the Fianna Fáil or Labour parties steal the seat. I am asking the people of Cork to vote for the Fine Gael Party candidates because we are the only party who can give this Government a real message and provide an alternative Government at the next general election. I am asking people to give their support to Colum Burke and Hugh Coveney on 10 November.

Mr. Yates

Deputy Lowry and I have been asked to direct the Fine Gael campaigns in Cork South-Central and North-Central and over the past three to four weeks I have spent a great deal of time in Cork. I have been very struck by the issues on the ground. There is no doubt that Cork, a very proud city which considers itself to be the heart of the country, feels neglected since 1987 when Deputy Barry was its last Cabinet Minister. In many respects, whether in housing lists, priority for education or health facilities, there is a feeling that Cork has been abandoned. There is an absolute belief that this Government does not deserve an increased majority on 10 November.

We in Fine Gael are proud that we have proposed two outstanding candidates. Hugh Covency is a former Member of this House and is very well known in Cork. In Cork North-Central we are proposing Colum Burke, a young married solicitor who has lived all his life in Cork. He is a very sincere and warm man who will get first preference votes from all parties in this election. Fine Gael is the only party with two seats in this five seat constituency and is well placed to win.

In addition to the local issues, so clearly articulated in this debate, there is an overwhelming sense of resentment and anger among the ordinary people. In any pub or workplace one finds that the people seriously resent this Cabinet. They resent the £2.5 million per year we are paying to cronies and relatives in positions of programme managers, special advisers and for the office of the Tánaiste that never before existed.

That resentment grew with the unprecedented and extraordinary level of international travel by the Government. Spin doctors have been turned into spend doctors. The Cabinet has cocked a snoot at taxpayers and yesterday we witnessed the group therapy session in Tinakilly where the Cabinet decided to make up. Its members came out of their meeting gushing with enthusiasm for another three years of office. They dined on home made venison sausage followed by warm tartlets of wild mushrooms and sorbet of passion fruit.

Mrs. Owen

Very appropriate for a honeymoon.

Mr. Yates

They moved on to roast maigre of duck and then they chose from the brandy snap basket of fruit with the querelles of chocolate mousse.

Mr. Durkan

Excellent.

Mr. Yates

This Cabinet knows no bounds in its disdain and contempt for the taxpayer and when we add up the unprecedented 1,000 hours flown by the Government jet over the past year — at a cost of £5 million — and the unnecessary worldwide travel in so many cases, it comes to in excess of £10 million before we take into consideration the pay increases. That is £10 million that no other Government has spent simply to maintain this Government's champagne and caviar lifestyle. What we did not see on the menu was the wine list because, as usual, it was Bollinger champagne to wash down the diet for this Cabinet.

I was not surprised that none of the Labour Party members came into this House last week to defend the astronomical pay increases to members of the Government but the people of Cork, in conjunction with the rest of the people, are shocked at the hardship the Government has imposed on them in stark contrast to what it is doing for itself. For the first time, unemployment benefit is being taxed. Seasonal and part-time workers and people on low pay, with their wives working, are having their unemployment benefit taxed. VHI and mortgage relief has been restricted to the standard rate. Pay related benefit has been abolished for unemployed people, a collective cut of £28.50 per week. The residential property tax net has been widened. For ordinary people working in State industry, it is job cuts and pay cuts but for this Cabinet it is only the best in extravagance and opulence and the people feel now is the time to stop the gravy train, now is the time to send this Government a message that enough is enough.

The socialist principle on which this Government sought election and on which the Labour Party said it would put justice into economics and trust into politics has been betrayed. People are waiting for the 94 D black Mercedes to roll up and for Ministers to knock on their doors. They will have their answer. I look forward on 11 November — be it in the Neptune Stadium or elsewhere— to cheering home Colum Burke and Hugh Coveney as new TDs of this Dáil.

Mr. Power

Deputy Yates will not mind being on his own.

Mr. Rabbitte

I wish to share my time with Deputy Sargent.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is in order.

Mr. Rabbitte

When by-elections occurred in Mayo West and Dublin South Central, both Government parties did everything within their power to obstruct the holding of those elections, including voting down the moving of the writ on two occasions. As a result, the people of Mayo West and Dublin South Central were left without the representation of that additional Deputy for a period of 18 months.

On this occasion it appears the Government calculates it is in its political interest to facilitate the moving of the writs today. On the previous occasion, 18 May, we witnessed the bravado of the Minister of State, Deputy Dempsey, as he whistled past the graveyard and said: "We will be back here with two new Deputies after June 9". The Government took a hammering, the Labour vote collapsed in Dublin South Central and the Fianna Fáil vote plummeted to an unprecedented low in Mayo West.

That spectacular success in Mayo West and by my colleague. Deputy Byrne, in Dublin South Central will be repeated on this occasion. I expect Opposition candidates to take both seats in Cork and I am confident that my colleague, Kathleen Lynch, will be successful in Cork North Central. She is a formidable candidate, a local councillor with an outstanding record who knows and understands the problems facing the people in Cork. Her remarkable performance in the European election, where she won 20 per cent of the vote in Cork city, was a tribute to her growing political stature. She did sterling work, referred to by Deputy Allen, in championing the cause of tens of thousands of women who were denied arrears of social welfare. Although the European Court decided they were entitled to those arrears payment was obstructed by the Minister Deputy Woods and the Minister of State Deputy Burton. Kathleen Lynch has foiled the attempt to draw a veil of silence around the issue. The people of Cork and the Dáil need representatives like her.

These by-elections come at an appropriate time as they will give the people of Cork city an opportunity to give a verdict on the bloated self importance of this Government. Some people believed that the defeats in Dublin South Central and Mayo West would have taught the Government a lesson and urged it to get its act together. In fact, the performance of the Government has disintegrated since the by-election defeats in Mayo West and Dublin South Central. Only the prospect of a serious loss of seats and a loss of power caused the parties to pull back from a general election on an issue, the significance of which they never attempted to explain to the electorate. Were it not for the collective nervous breakdown on the back benches of the Labour Party, which led to their retreat at Tinakilly yesterday, there would have been a general election.

Mr. Yates

The nervous Nellys.

Mr. Rabbitte

That was the state of the parties at that stage.

The Labour Party failed to assert its identity on issues that the people understand, issues that concern people. For example, it combined with Fianna Fáil to obstruct and prevent women obtaining their arrears of entitlements on social welfare as permitted by the European Court of Justice and forced those women to resort to the courts to vindicate their entitlements. The Minister for Education refused to publish the report of de Buitléir outlining the extent of the discrimination against the children of PAYE workers in higher education grants. The Minister of State, Deputy Stagg, has refused to deal with the housing crisis and tells us he is more concerned with drawing the line for urban renewal sites in Longford and elsewhere. These are major issues in Cork city. A research report prepared for the EU recently showed there are large concentrations in Cork North-Central where up to 70 per cent of people are unemployed. Participation rates in higher education are virtually negligible.

Mr. Martin

That is not true.

Mr. Rabbitte

Yet the response of the Minister for Education is to promise to abolish fees for the very well off——

Mr. Broughan

For everyone.

Mr. Rabbitte

——but not to tackle the serious discrimination in the higher education grant scheme as it stands. Privilege is still transmitted through education and the Government, despite its fine words, has done nothing to make that more accessible to ordinary people. Meanwhile, not just in Cork but throughout the country thousands of women are forced to join the organisation Kathleen Lynch founded, "Women for Equality", to vindicate their rights in respect of social welfare entitlements.

The performance of the Fianna Fáil element of Government is lamentable. The Taoiseach has quite properly been accorded kudos for his involvement in the peace initiative but that cannot isolate him from accountability in other matters. He shamefully embarked upon exploiting the harvest of the peace initiative by attempting to provoke a geneal election when he thought he saw within his grasp the prospect of an overall majority. The report of the beef tribunal showed him in a light which questions his fitness to hold Cabinet office. The findings of the tribunal only served to exacerbate public concern already expressed in respect of serving Cabinet Ministers to make a decision that conferred substantial benefit on the family enterprise in which the Taoiseach is the main shareholder.

The operation of the urban renewal scheme is the biggest legal source of political patronage in the country and yields far more in financial contributions to the coffers of Fianna Fáil than Fianna Fáil fund-raisers in the United States which the Taoiseach usually attends at public expense but which he claims are rarely the primary purpose of such transatlantic visits.

There is scarcely a prominent Fianna Fáil supporter or relative of the Taoiseach in Longford from Larry Goodman to the recently appointed chairman of Aer Rianta, Noel O'Hanlon, who does not stand to be a potential beneficiary from the precision with which the Minister of State, Deputy Stagg, drew the lines on the urban renewal scheme in Longford.

The House has already accepted that at £3 an hour the Taoiseach works a lot of hours. Judging from extracts from a new biography of the Taoiseach by journalist Tim Ryan which were hidden away in the Sunday Independent, it appears that, as a Minister, the Taoiseach did not put in all those hours in the interests of the taxpayer and the public alone. These extracts raise further questions about the reliability of claims made by him that he had nothing to do with the day-to-day running of his family business, C & D Foods, since being appointed a Government Minister. Speaking in Portlaoise on 2 June the Taoiseach said: “I have, as is required, an arm's length relationship with the company since I look up ministerial office so I cannot be accountable for and have no knowledge of its day-to-day business decisions”. However, the book by Tim Ryan quotes documentary evidence to show that the Taoiseach was very much involved in the day-to-day affairs of the company during 1981 and 1982 when he was a Minister. Such involvement would clearly have been in conflict with the guidelines for Ministers. I have a copy of a letter which is clear documentary evidence of the Taoiseach's involvement. On 28 June 1992 a letter signed “Albert Reynolds” to Norman Spence, Esq., Mountain House, North Berg., Pembrokeshire, Wales shows the Taoiseach having a hand in the day-to-day running and management of the company. Around that time another Minister, Deputy Collins, was dismissed because of his involvement in his business which was going down the tubes yet the Taoiseach denies any knowledge of this.

The decline in standards would have provoked outrage if Deputy Spring were on this side of the House. He would have been first to demand an explanation from the Taoiseach and to demand his resignation if an acceptable explanation was not forthcoming. It is an example of how Labour has lost all sense of direction and touch with its voters and many of its members. The senior Labour ranks have grown flabby on a lifestyle of executive jets, Mercedes cars, expensive dinners at Tinakilly House, a legion of advisers, handlers and programme managers, all paid for by the taxpayer. The party that was a pitbull terrier in Opposition has turned out to be a toothless lap dog in Government. It will take more than a therapy session at Tinakilly House to restore the purpose of this Government but the people of Cork can and will make a contribution to that process.

Mr. Sargent

The Green Party looks forward to the election in Cork. I will travel to Cork on Friday when our bid to increase numbers in this House will commence in earnest. An increase in membership of 100 per cent or 200 per cent would be a welcome boost for any party.

It is unfortunate that the by-election in Cork North-Central has been caused by the sad death of Gerry O'Sullivan. I have already sympathised, and will do so again, with his family, friends and constituency colleagues. The elections will be held in Cork North-Central and South-Central. The Cork people's assessment of the difference between rhetoric and reality and the way they react to the Government line will be evident.

I welcome the closure of the two hospital incinerators. The Minister's decision not to proceed with the central incinerator is also welcome. I hope his decision was deeply rooted and not taken because a by-election was in the offing. However, it shows that by-elections are good for bringing about a change in direction. I am sure the 20,000 people in Cork waiting for good news on their employment prospects will make the news, like their colleagues in Irish Steel.

Jane Power will stand for the Green Party in Cork North-Central. She has come through UCC student politics and I know she will be well received on the national scene as she is known and liked in her constituency.

The Cork South-Central by-election was created by a far more complicated and unusual set of circumstances. It was caused by a difference of opinion over the dual mandate. Deputy Cox probably understood the difficulties of trying to deal with that while Deputy Harney may only have understood the principle and not the difficulties. It is difficult to take a stand on the dual mandate and follow it through when one's colleagues are oblivious of the need to do so. The consensus in the Green Party is to have a period of preparation so that the new incumbent would be well prepared to take the seat. It is unfortunate that did not happen from the Progressive Democrats point of view but other parties seek to benefit from its misfortune. The Government had several opportunities to deal with this problem and it is a pity it did not do so. If it had dealt with it perhaps the Progressive Democrats Party would not be in the position in which it now finds itself.

Councillor Dan Boyle will stand for the Green Party in the Cork South-Central constituency. Given his candacy in the European elections, he is well known to the people of Cork. While he did not secure a seat then, the number of votes he received proves he is well respected and very popular in his area. I look forward to him and Jane Power joining me in this House. I will not ask the parties in the House to support him but I hope other parties will.

Mr. Martin

I support the moving of the writs for the two by-elections in Cork. The vacancy in Cork North-Central arose on the very sad and distressing death of my good friend Gerry O'Sullivan who was loved by his family, friends and constituents. He served the people of Cork extremely well and in the fine tradition of the Labour Party and other public representatives for the area he put Cork city above politics.

One of the notable features of this debate is the infrequent reference to Cork city and the lack of attention to what the people of Cork really want. We have had a generalised debate on issues which have been repeatedly rehashed in the House, for example, the beef tribunal and the passports affair. As the second person from Cork to contribute to the debate, I regard the contributions of other speakers as somewhat arrogant and very ill informed in terms of what my constituents and the people of Cork want.

Mr. Durkan

They want a Minister.

Mr. Yates

They want you, Micheál; do not be modest about it.

Mr. Martin

They have me.

Mr. Rabbitte

Another baby Minister.

Mr. Yates

The Deputy might get a Volvo.

An Ceann Comhairle

Let us hear Deputy Martin without interruption.

Mr. Martin

The reasons for the vacancy in Cork South-Central are clear and the Progressive Democrats must bear a substantial portion of the blame for it given the vicious, dirty and underhanded way in which it treated Pat Cox.

Mr. Durkan

This is deeply touching.

Mr. Martin

It is clear that the leadership row in the Progressive Democrats was the first step towards the vacancy in Cork South-Central. It was also the beginning of the end for Pat Cox in Dáil Éireann who could no longer be a member of the Progressive Democrats because of a breach of trust and lack of communication with him; he was not told about the leadership election and members of the party went behind his back. He could not remain a member of that party and consequently decided to stand in the European elections.

Mr. Rabbitte

Did the Minister Deputy Smith recruit him yet?

Mr. Martin

The important point is that the electorate endorsed his decision. The electorate in Cork and Munster said "no" to the Progressive Democrats' approach to that issue and "yes" to Pat Cox. Whether or not we like it, that is the reality. The people gave their view on this issue and that is why a by-election has to be held. The dictatorial stance and lack of democracy within the Progressive Democrats was revealed again at the convention last Sunday——

Mr. Yates

Lectures on democracy are very hard to take from the source opposite.

Mr. Martin

——when its loyal and long serving councillor, Derek Canty was shafted in the cruellest manner.

Mr. Rabbitte

It would break your heart.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Martin

In fairness, Derek Canty would not be treated in a similar manner in any circumstances if he changed party. It was outrageous——

Mr. Yates

There is no danger of Fianna Fáil getting three seats in Cork.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Yates has made his contribution.

Mr. Yates

Sorry.

Mr. Durkan

It will be a Morris Minor, not a Merc.

Mr. Martin

In addition, much hypocrisy has been shown by members on the Opposition benches about the passports issue. I am amazed this issue was raised because within weeks of it being raised Fine Gael Deputies were appealing to the Government to be flexible in the scheme and to apply it to a particular company in Limerick so that jobs could be saved.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Martin

Deputy Finucane was on his knees begging the Taoiseach and Government to show some flexibility towards his constituents.

Miss Harney

And they have to pay double the price.

Mr. Rabbitte

Not for their own companies.

Mr. Martin

Such hypocrisy. Members of the Progressive Democrats said they would give up their pensions but they took them back again. There is no fear either about former Fine Gael Ministers accepting their salary increases.

The people of Cork are fed up with that type of hypocrisy. They would have preferred to have heard today what the parties opposite propose to give them, their policies and initiatives and how they propose to drive Cork city forward into the next century. We have a programme and have delivered on our promises. A previous speaker said the last Cork Minister was Deputy Peter Barry and someone referred to the "defining moment" for this Government. For the people of Cork, in terms of the best party, that realisation occurred immediately prior to the 1987 general election when the Minister, Deputy Peter Barry, in addressing a dinner marking the anniversary of Cork Airport could not give even £1 million for the runway. That was the moment the people of Cork realised which party would be better in Government. Since Fianna Fáil came into office in 1987, £30 million has been spent in structural investment in Cork Airport which is now recognised by Aer Rianata and others as a gem.

Mr. Yates

On Sunday I met workers from the airport protesting outside the Imperial Hotel picketing the Labour convention.

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputy Yates, let us not forget the length of time available for this debate.

Mr. Martin

This airport has no rival in Europe in terms of its size and service. The reality is that Fine Gael left Cork Airport high and dry, in the same way it closed Verolme dockyard and Irish Shipping. It has a miserable record in Cork.

Mr. Durkan

This is fighting stuff.

Mr. Martin

How dare members of that party come into the House and try to tell me and other Deputies from Cork that Fine Gael has the best interests of this city at heart.

Mr. Rabbitte

If he does not get some type of car after this performance he never will.

Mr. Yates

No wonder they are trying to get rid of the smog down there.

Mr. Durkan

Deputy Batt O'Keeffe should be told about this.

Mr. Martin

Cork has many——

Mr. Rabbitte

Crosses to carry.

Mr. Martin

——sectors which demand investment. The Government has delivered on the provision of infrastructure in Cork. The road infrastructure, as defined in the plan prepared by both local authorities, is in place.

Mr. Yates

The road to nowhere.

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputy Yates.

Mr. Martin

The final link will be the downstream crossing. The tendering process is under way and the contract has to be awarded. In infrastructural terms this will be the biggest contract ever awarded in the history of the State. The Cork-Dublin mainline rail will also benefit from Structural Funding.

Mr. Yates

Will there be a toll on it?

Mr. Martin

The Cork-Swansea Ferry Company, which was a victim of the famous Coalition Government of 1983-87 of which Fine Gael was a member, was supported by this Government despite consultants' advice. We ploughed the necessary investment into this company which is extremely important in terms of the tourism infrastructure of the region and bringing people into the country.

Cork port has enjoyed considerable development and investment and is now a significant facility, better than and rivalling Dublin in no uncertain terms.

Mr. Yates

What about the toll on the tunnel?

Mr. Martin

We have made substantial investment in improving access to Cork city via the airport, port and roads. The road to Mallow will be opened on Friday.

Mr. Yates

The road to nowhere.

Mr. Martin

I have no doubt that the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Smith, will have further good news about the completion of the road infrastructure.

In regard to Irish Steel, I want to say to the people of Cork that we need to strengthen the Government team. It was not the Opposition Deputies which saved Irish Steel.

Mr. Durkan

This is a bit weak.

Mr. Yates

Is the Deputy going to mention Dennehy?

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Yates ought not to continually interrupt.

Mr. Martin

It was the backbenchers of both Government parties, working together, who resolved the problems. We would not allow Irish Steel to close and we proved how effective we could be in ensuring its survival and an investment of more than £35 million for the betterment of the Cork region in general.

Mr. Durkan

Deputy Ferris is claiming credit for that on behalf of the Labour Party.

Mr. Ferris

I am proud of it.

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputy Durkan, desist.

Mr. Yates

A loveless marriage.

Mr. Martin

When my colleagues on the Opposition benches visit Cork later this month they will see the manifestations of the urban renewal programme. This is evident on most designated streets where building is in progress and derelict sites are being developed. If they go down Douglas Street in the south parish they will see the real Cork. This has been brought about by good urban renewal policies.

FÁS has had a beneficial impact in the southwest region in terms of jobs and training. People sometimes undermine FÁS and its work, but its beneficial impact can be seen in the fabric and social life of Cork. The Bessborough Heritage Centre is a classic example of the skilful work undertaken by FÁS.

One of the biggest industries in Cork is education. We are extremely proud of our infrastructure and I dispute Deputy Rabbitte's comments about participation rates in third level.

Mr. Rabbitte

They are public information.

Mr. Martin

I am a member of Cork vocational education committee and a former member of the regional technical college governing body and the UCC body. I ask Deputy Rabbitte not to go to Cork and try to tell the people they are second class citizens because I for one will not accept it. That is the worst type of leadership we can give our people. We have a proud record of participation in education in Cork. UCC has undergone tremendous development in recent years because of structural funding and so on.

Mr. Rabbitte

There is no need for this inferiority complex.

A Deputy

Do not forget Mr. Dennehy.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

Do not forget decentralisation.

Mr. Martin

We are dealing with Our Lady's Hospital.

Mr. Yates

What about the Army Barracks?

Mr. M. Smith

They are all safe.

Mr. Martin

Over 10,000 students attend UCC. The regional technical college is growing at an incredible rate and, more important, we are showing the lead in PLC courses in the city of Cork with up to 3,000 students attending this year. Education is a cornerstone of the Cork economy and Cork development.

Mr. Rabbitte

How are Glen Rovers doing?

Mr. Martin

Not too well, unfortunately. Deputy Rabbitte is endeavouring to show he has some knowledge of the real life in Cork. The Fine Gael Party, when last in power, believed decentralisation should not apply to Cork. When we came back to Government the Taoiseach took the initiative and decentralised the Central Statistics Office to Mahon in Cork, following representations from Deputies in the area. We have made these positive decisions. they are real, not empty promises. I commenced by saying why there will be a by-election in Cork. Mr. John Dennehy——

Mr. Rabbitte

He is a decent man.

Mr. Martin

——with respect, unlike Pat Cox and other people, has given long, effective service to the people of Cork. We are telling them to elect somebody committed to their city, who has proven his commitment in this track record, who wants to serve and who has served in various capacities as Lord Mayor, Alderman and Deputy.

Mr. Yates

You shafted him at the last election.

Mr. Martin

The people of Cork will respond to his record of service. In Cork North-Central, Fianna Fáil is once again showing its commitment to young people in the person of Senator Billy Kelleher, who is young, dynamic and energetic.

Mr. Power

Is there any chance of a recount?

Mr. Martin

Right across the board we have given great example. We are the best party in terms of promoting young people, shown by the number of young candidates in local and general elections. We are not afraid to try out young candidates and we are putting them forward with confidence in Cork North-Central.

Mr. Yates

How old is Mr. Dennehy?

Mr. Martin

It is a question of balance.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Martin

With respect, a Cheann Comhairle, politics is about balance. There will be two by-elections and we have got the balance right in our candidate profile. Politics is about balance of experience, young people and so on.

Mr. Rabbitte

Where does the gender quota come into it?

Mr. Martin

In the team of Senator Billy Kelleher and Mr. John Dennehy we have got the balance right. When the Progressive Democrats descend on Cork perhaps Deputy Harney will tell the people where the cutbacks will fall if the Progressive Democrats get into power. I attended meetings of the Finance and General Affairs Committee of this House since its inception and I heard Deputy Michael McDowell say consistently that we must curb public expenditure. Will Deputy Harney tell the House what educational institutions in Cork will suffer? Where will they cut back in terms of UCC, regional technical college, City of Cork vocational education committee, second level schools, primary schools and special needs education? It is about time the Progressive Democrats came clean on these issues and stopped hiding behind the phrase "cuts in public expenditure". Democratic Left showed its concern for the voters of Cork South-Central, it simply ditched them and said it was not interested in running in Cork South Central any longer but would go to Cork North-Central.

Mr. Rabbitte

Do not worry.

Mr. Martin

While it has asked questions about beef tribunals and passports it did not answer questions raised about where it got its money or its contacts with Soviet Russia — to which its members travelled regularly — in its heyday.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Martin

With respect, we have good experience of it in Cork.

A Deputy

The hangover.

Mr. Martin

Those questions were raised by reputable journalists. The beef tribunal was set up because of a television programme. We had no subsequent follow on to issues raised in public debate about the degree to which the national broadcasting service and the trade union movement were infiltrated by the then Workers' Party and how funds were raised.

Mr. Rabbitte

Fianna Fáil sent a deputation to keep them quiet.

Mr. Martin

The Deputy's party never clarified from where their public funds came.

Mr. Rabbitte

Did the deputation get back yet? It cowed them more.

Mr. Martin

The truth hurts. The Deputy can shovel all the dirt he likes at the Government parties. During the past five or ten years I have got fed up with the hypocrisy which emanates from those benches.

Mr. Rabbitte

So you should.

Mr. Martin

The Deputy's party has come through much since the early 1970s but some of its members have still not got rid of their democratic centralism of former days.

A Deputy

That is for sure.

Mr. Martin

The people of Cork North-Central will certainly remember that.

Mr. Rabbitte

The Deputy is about to break into a smile.

Mr. Yates

I thought Fianna Fail promised to abolish service charges.

Mr. Martin

I stood at the last local election endorsing service charges.

Mr. Rabbitte

If that does not get the Deputy a junior Minister post nothing will.

Mr. Martin

Cork is a thriving, artistic and cultural infrastructure. We have a thriving Opera House and Crawford Municipal Art Gallery.

Mr. Rabbitte

Where is Batt?

Mr. Martin

It has the Everyman Playhouse, the Triskel Art Centre, the Opera House and the National Sculpture Factory.

Mr. Rabbitte

It is not always immediately obvious.

Mr. Martin

Most Deputies from the Opposition coming to Cork would be better off entertaining themselves at these artistic institutions than endeavouring to win seats.

Mr. Durkan

If the Deputy does not merit a car he certainly merits a high speed motorbike.

Question put and agreed to.