The Order of Business for today is the Local Government (Planning and Development) (No. 2) Bill, 1988, from the conclusion of the Order of Business until 6.30 p.m. and from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. the continuation of the Fine Gael motion. That will go on until 8 o'clock.
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business, may I refer the Leader of the House to Item No. 30 on the Supplementary Order Paper. This matter has been raised persistently over the past number of months in an effort to get some indication of the mind of the Government on the matter and the Government's intentions on it. I am not asking for an answer today but I would like to ask the Leader if he could come back to the House with some definite information for the House on this matter at the latest by next week.
May I refer to Item No. 6 on the Order Paper, the amendment to the Intermediate Education (Ireland) Act, 1878. I have been raising in this manner consistently for the past number of months and I would like the Leader of the House to establish the view of the Minister for Education on the matter and whether she is prepared to take the Bill. It does retain a discriminatory subsection regarding the education of girls. I do not require an answer right now but through you, a Chathaoirligh, I request that we get a clear position on Item No. 6 on the Order Paper in the next week.
I would like to welcome the fact that we are sitting for three days. That is a sign, I hope, of good intentions for the working of the Seanad in the days and weeks and months to come. I would like to refer specifically to a number of motions on the Supplementary Order Paper in relation to prisons. Now with some more time for discussion perhaps the suggestion that was offered earlier and seemed to be taken up, namely, that some of those motions could be taken together and dealt with, might be adopted. I would have three at least in relation to prisons.
In relation to Northern Ireland, the Leader of the House might take upon himself, if there is now more time, to give them space on the Order Paper for a debate. We have been raising the problems in the prisons for a long time, and we have not yet had a full debate on Northern Ireland.
I hope we can get some definite information on motion 30 on the Supplementary Order Paper. I am glad Senator Manning raised it. May I ask the Leader of the House if it would be possible for us, either by way of a debate or by way of short statements at least, to record what I would know to be the revulsion of the House at recent events in Palestine. We are getting very close to what can only be described as genocide and I think, given the collective views of most of the political parties and indeed of the Government, that it would be very appropriate that we should record our views on the matter. I request that we should either have a debate or at least a short period for formal statements because the position has got to the stage where one's revulsion is almost indescribable at what is being done. It is being done in the name of western democracy, let us remember.
I would like to support what Senator Manning said about Item No. 30 on the Supplementary Order Paper. I will not be pressing today for an alteration in the Order of Business but the request for information made by Senator Manning is fully supported by me. I realise we are sitting three days this week. Unfortunately, for two of those days I will be in Copenhagen speaking to an international meeting of the European Convention on Human Rights and I very much wish I had been able to report some progress in this matter to that body. Regrettably I will not be able to do so but I would like some information and I will continue my efforts, with the support of other people around the House for which I am very grateful.
I may point out that Item No. 2 also refers. Would the Leader be kind enough to draw that to the attention of the Minister because the Minister, speaking on this subject, referred to the Law Reform Commission, there has been a major section of the Law Reform Commission report mentioned in Item No. 2 which recommends certain alterations in the law. Perhaps we could have a view on that as well.
I would like also to ask if we could have some information on Item No. 32. Perhaps, with the agreement of the Whips, this matter could be raised next week so that people would have sufficient notice of it. It deals with the deliberate disruption of rail services between Belfast and Dublin. Previously I got an undertaking that this matter would be taken and if, perhaps with the agreement of the Whips, we could have a date, possibly even next week, it would be very much appreciated.
With regard to matters on the Order Paper for today, I would like at some stage to have an indication from the Leader of the House with regard to the current status of Item No. 5, the Interpretation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 1989 and whether it will be permissible for this Bill to be introduced from the Independent benches. This I think, would be a good and co-operative move forward because it is 30 years since an item of legislation has progressed from this side of the House and it would be very welcome. It would be an encouragement for us here to be constructive and co-operative in our approach to the Government.
On the Order Paper today there is item No. 8. I have raised this before and I have been promised some information. If I could have some information I would be grateful because I have a constituent who is personally interested and keeps pressing me on this matter. He is a lawyer and has supplied me with information so that the Bill can be processed.
Finally, may I comment on what Senator Ryan said with regard to the Middle East situation and the fate of the Palestinian people. No person of conscience could deny that a debate on these lamentable events is timely. I would disagree in the matter of degree. I do not call is genocide but I think there is serious abuse of civil rights, about which many people in Israel and Palestine are concerned and I would certainly welcome a debate.
Last week on the Order of Business you called me to order very quickly when I was making a simple point. I have already heard two speeches.
I am satisfied I am correct.
I would like, if I may, to draw attention to motion No. 97 on the Order Paper. This is a matter of considerable urgency and concern. I say this in a personal capacity, as a Senator and indeed as Chairman of the Tallaght Hospital Board. The Minister and the Taoiseach have given a number of assurances, as have Governments down through the years, regarding the ethos of the Adelaide Hospital and the relationship in due course that should exist, and I believe will exist, in the new Tallaght Hospital. It is a matter of very considerable concern at the moment and I would like, therefore, if I may, to urge the Leader of the House, subject to agreement between the Whips and the movers of the motion, to take this item as a matter of urgency.
I support Senator Ryan's views concerning the Middle East question and the appalling activity there at the present time.
(Interruptions.)
If I may make a simple comment in support of that. I support his call.
I would ask Members to please allow speakers to make their point. If I feel there is a departure from reasonable latitude, I will notify the individual. I would like the co-operation of Senators on all sides of the House in this matter.
I shall be brief. I support Senator Ryan's views that something should be done in this House concerning that issue. I do not think statements are sufficient; I believe a debate should take place. The timing is very appropriate in that the Minister for Foreign Affairs is meeting Mr. Arafat next Saturday. May I propose, a Chathaoirligh, that we have a debate on the Middle East and that we invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs to attend?
I want to support the proposals which have been made that we should have a debate or statements on the very dangerous situation that is occurring in Palestine and now inside Israel itself because there has been an escalation in Nazareth over the past number of days in the Christian Arab section. I think it is important that this House should debate this matter. Whether it should be by way of statements or a debate we should leave to the Leader of the House to decide.
I want to lend my support to both Senator Norris and Senator Conroy regarding motion No. 97. I do that having regard to the wonderful background of this hospital. As a matter of urgency the item should be brought forward.
May I urge the Leader of the House to make time available under item No. 98 on the Order Paper in relation to BSE, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. It would be very useful if this House were to debate this matter because we have had such irresponsible statements in the press and elsewhere over the past few weeks. Whatever about the risks to human health, it is unquestionable that many farmers in the country are suffering disproportionately because of this matter and you only have to look at this week's beef prices. Whatever we can do to bring sanity into this debate would be welcome and I urge that we make time available for it.
Having found the views of Bishop Newman on the content of motion 97 on the Order Paper unnecessarily provocative, I support the case that is being made here by several Senators that this matter be dealt with in this House as a matter of urgency. There is particular sensitivity involved in this and I request, through the Chair, that the Leader of the House try to arrange that this motion is dealt with very quickly.
I want to ask the Cathaoirleach if I may be allowed to——
Senator, I must insist that you cannot be allowed to speak a second time on the Order of Business.
On the first question raised by Senator Manning I will endeavour to get the information for him and that also applies to Senator Norris. Senator O'Toole raised a question on Item No. 6 and I will make inquiries on that matter. The Senator asked last week if I could give some idea of the business for the weeks ahead. This week we have the Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill and the Finance Bill. I expect next week we will have the Turf Development Bill, followed in quick order by the Industrial Relations Bill, the Health (Nursing Homes) Bill, the Shannon Navigation Bill and the Fóir Teoranta Bill. They are all at a very advanced stage in the Dáil. Senator Norris mentioned some time ago the Control of Clinical Trials Bill. I think Senator Brendan Ryan will agree that both he and I had a particular interest in this Bill when we had it in the Seanad some time ago. My information is that the parliamentary draftsman is almost ready to come forward with that so we may have it in the next two or three weeks. Also debate on the Teachers' Superannuation Bill is nearing completion in the Dáil and I am hopeful we will have the Pensions Bill and the Criminal Justice Bill dealing with the removal of the death penalty before the end of this session. Then, of course, we will have the usual motions which have been referred to by other speakers.
Senator Costello mentioned the Prisons Bill and the Northern Ireland issue. There are no plans for debate of these matters on the Government side. If the prison issue is something he feels strongly about, he might consider it for Private Members' time. Senator Ryan referred also to Item No. 30. I have mentioned that. He also asked about recent events in Palestine and in the Middle East generally. It is something I will ask the Whips to consider. I would not be opposed to statements where we would not have a Minister available and statements might be appropriate. It is something I will ask the Whips to consider, maybe for next week. I have no proposals for Item 8 or Item 5. Item No. 2 is with us and I hope it will be taken as soon as possible.
Senator Conroy asked, as did other Members, about motion No. 97. In view of the concern expressed, I am sure it is something I can arrange and I will endeavour to have it for next Thursday, tomorrow week. Senator Staunton spoke about the Middle East and Senator Lanigan mentioned the same matter. Senator Harte dealt with Item No. 97 which I have touched on. The question of BSE as in motion 98 obviously is a topical and important matter and is something I will ask the Whips to consider. Senator Avril Doyle also referred to motion 97 and I have agreed we will try to take that tomorrow week.
Order of Business agreed to.