Today's Order of Business is item 1, the Referendum Bill, 1994. With the agreement of the House, we hope to deal with all stages between now and 6 p.m. Item 40 will be taken between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Order of Business.
In deference to your words at the outset, a Chathaoirligh, I will simply join in the vote of sympathy because words cannot express the shock, horror and sadness we all feel about what has happened.
On the Order of Business, could the Leader of the House in the next couple of weeks — and certainly before the European elections — give us an opportunity to debate events in Europe and the European Union, especially the question of enlargement? Also, could he give us more definite information about the possibility of a debate on developments in Northern Ireland?
I would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the relatives, friends and colleagues of Imelda and Liam Riney and Fr. Joe Walsh on the tragedy in east Clare and south Galway.
I also support the vote of sympathy. It is important that an inquiry be held as soon as possible in view of the public disquiet following these sad events. It should be conveyed to the Minister for Justice from this House that the most important issue in Ireland today is the need to reopen rural Garda stations which would be manned on a full-time basis. It is only in those circumstances that the gardaí can know what is happening in their areas. I am sure if that were to happen, the commission of many such crimes would be prevented.
I was shocked and horrified yesterday to hear that the opening of a factory in Kilkenny which was to provide between 460 and 700 jobs will not go ahead. I believe the IDA went as far as is possible to accommodate the group concerned. I agree that the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Deputy Quinn, and the Government went as far as they could to get this company. The fact that a foreign company made agreements with Ireland, through the IDA and the Government, and then decided to up the ante signals the need for a major debate in this House.
A question to the Leader.
I ask the Leader for a debate on our attitude to attracting foreign companies. It is obvious that blackmail was used in this instance and it was also decided to up the ante. It would not have been possible to provide one sustainable job if we had gone along with ask the Leader of this American company. I ask the Leader to convey to the Minister the need for an urgent debate on this matter. It is obvious that jobs are needed in this country more than anywhere——
The Senator is making a speech.
——but we cannot buy them at the expense of everybody else in the country. I would like to express my extreme disquiet at the fact that a multinational company could make arrangements, sign documents and then decide to up the ante.
The Senator has made his point. I am sure the Leader will take it on board.
I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Deputy Quinn, to come to the House for an urgent debate.
Tomorrow we will have a debate on South Africa which will be, in a sense, confined to events to date. We must, however, take account of what has been happening in Rwanda. I was glad to hear John O'Shea of Goal say this morning that conditions in the camps outside Rwanda were reasonably well organised and that the United Nations went in. However, we must have an urgent debate on the role of the United Nations which deals with Rwanda and other current conflicts.
A question to the Leader of the House.
I ask the Leader for an urgent debate on this matter in view of that fact that we are to have a debate on South Africa.
You have been given a lot of latitude, Senator Lanigan.
The situation might be taken into account because we have witnessed the breakdown of the new democracy of Yemen.
I ask the Senator to conclude. He can repeat all that tomorrow.
On behalf of the Progressive Democrats I would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the families of the victims in Clare and Galway over the weekend. In deference to what you said at the beginning, a Chathaoirligh, I will not elaborate on that.
I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Health to come into the House and make a statement on the treatment, by the VHI, of women who contracted hepatitis C through the anti-D virus. The Minister set up a group in his Department to examine the matter but it needs urgent action and we cannot have any further delays.
On behalf of the Labour Party I also wish to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the people of north-east Clare and south-east Galway. I live quite near and, while such deaths would be horrific anywhere in the country, the fact that they occurred in such a beautiful place, with such friendly and open people, was particularly horrific and shocking. In deference to what you said, a Chathaoirligh, I will finish on that.
I, too, would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the relatives of those who died tragically in Clare and Galway.
In view of the Law Reform Commission's report which confirms that the approach taken by Fine Gael is correct, I ask the Leader of the House to ask the Minister for Equality and Law Reform to introduce a Bill similar to the Fine Gael Bill which was voted down last week. There should be no delay in drawing up this legislation. The details are there and the Bill should be introduced forthwith.
I ask the Leader of the House to arrange a debate on the future of education in rural areas. There is an ever increasing budget for education and small rural schools in Ireland are under threat. We would like the Minister for Education to come into the House so that we can ask her about her future plans. Will rationalisation be the norm? Will the future of education in rural areas be totally based on the economics of that service? This is an important issue, particularly for rural Ireland.
A question to the Leader.
I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Education to come into the House to give us an opportunity to discuss this important matter.
In common with other speakers I wish to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives so tragically. We all hope that the peace and tranquillity of that beautiful area of the country will be restored.
Last week a prominent Irish MEP suggested that the neutrality of three of the four new members could be a problem in the context of European Union. Over the weekend it was suggested that Ireland should be a full member of the Western European Union. There are issues to be debated and I have suggested on several occasions that we need a full debate in this House on the European Union Treaty, specifically on the common foreign and security policy. I ask the Leader of the House to organise this.
Would it be possible for the House to discuss the Dublin Transport Initiative at an early stage? The DTI has gone seriously off the rails and political prompting from this House would help to redirect its thinking. In my view, the DTI is now more interested in feather-bedding an inefficient State enterprise than creating what we would all wish for, a fully integrated transport system for the greater Dublin area, including north Wicklow. I ask that the DTI be discussed at an early stage.
I join with other Members in expressing sympathy to the families of the bereaved and to the people of County Clare. It was an unusually horrible occurrence, particularly taking into account the youth and vitality of the people concerned, a young mother and her child and an apparently vital young priest who was contributing very strongly to his local community. I was most taken with the words of Bishop Kirby when he said that this young man represented the wonderful energy and talent of so many young members of the clergy in this country. Although I do not always support Vatican policy on every issue, I echo those sentiments; many people will feel a great deal of good work is done there.
I was also particularly pleased that there was a bishop from the Church of Ireland among the six bishops at the Mass. The entire community is diminished by the deaths of these three young people. I hope this matter will be brought to a speedy and satisfactory resolution. When that has happened, perhaps we could arrange to have a full debate on rural policing. This is not the time to take a particular position but, echoing Senator Sherlock, it would be useful after the matter is closed for this House to discuss it.
I wish to be a little more contentious, as it is my nature. My colleague Senator Quinn said last week that we have to earn the respect of the Government. I had some qualms about that but the list of ministerial pensions in this morning's Irish Times does not do politics or the image of politics a great deal of good. Perhaps the Leader could arrange a debate on the question of people receiving ministerial pensions while they are still serving in the House. I do not begrudge them a pension, I will be looking for one myself, but I do not think it is appropriate, while somebody is still employed, to receive a pension as if they had retired.
I would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the people in Clare. It was a great tragedy, one of the worst to hit this country. I congratulate the Minister for Justice on the way she handled such a sensitive issue; I thank her for setting up an inquiry to allay the fears of many people.
I would also like to propose a vote of congratulations and good wishes to our popular Minister for Health and wish him a happy birthday; bliain sona sásta an bliain seo chugainn.
I propose a vote of congratulations to Nelson Mandela on becoming President of South Africa on this historic occasion.
Two months ago I raised a matter on the Adjournment about upgrading a national secondary road to national primary status. You gave a ruling on it and said it could not be put before the House because the Minister for the Environment had set up a National Roads Authority to which he has handed over responsibility for the funding of national primary and secondary routes. However, I find in the Western People of 27 April 1994 a report that “secondary roads serving Ballina and Westport were to be upgraded to national primary status, the Minister for the Environment, Mr. Michael Smith, has announced”. The Minister made the announcement when he met a deputation from the North Mayo roads action group——
I cannot stop the Minister for the Environment from making statements nor can I stop the Western People from taking note, and it seems I am having problems stopping you too.
I want the Leader of the House to clarify the position in relation to what the Minister said about the National Roads Authority. He stated that he will not receive notices from this House; yet he met a deputation from a roads action group but would not come before this House. It is disgraceful for the Minister to treat this House in that manner.
What I said was that it lacked ministerial responsibility. I am not going into a debate on that.
I want the Leader of the House to clarify the position in relation to the Minister's responsibility. What is the position in relation to the National Roads Authority?
I also wish to be associated with the sympathy expressed to the families of the victims in Galway and Clare. Many other people have been brutally murdered on this island, and by that I mean in Northern Ireland. We must use all our efforts to address that problem.
I want to take up a point made earlier about schools and to point out that, at least, this Minister did reverse the previous trend in not closing small schools.
Another split.
In addition, there is a problem of declining population which is obviously resulting in new problems for education.
We are on our way to Europe.
In relation to previous calls, may I add my support for a debate on European issues? We are entering into the five most crucial years of the European Union during which we will see the implementation of the Social Charter and many other issues affecting this country. After enlargement, we may become net contributors to the Union; this is the time we need to benefit most from it. I am also concerned by the severe lack of investment in ships fishing off the Donegal and Galway coasts.
A party political broadcast. This spot is brought to you courtesy of——
You are going on, I am sorry. In fairness, Senator Gallagher, you have moved on. A question to the Leader please.
I am asking Leader if he will allow a debate on fisheries because this is an area where we have lost out badly and it must be addressed.
I support Senator Manning's call for a debate on Northern Ireland. Sadly, the situation there appears to be back in the depressing mould of last year. We should send our sympathy to the family of the woman in Northern Ireland who was murdered in her sittingroom last week. There are few more horrific things one can imagine happening to one in old age than being shot dead in one's sittingroom.
I also support Senator Honan asking the Minister for Health to keep us up to date on the situation regarding the anti-D immunoglobin and hepatitis C. Senator Honan and I have given the Minister a great deal of support in dealing with this problem. Both of us have also received many queries and we would be grateful if the Leader of the House would ask the Minister to keep this House informed on this serious matter.
As I said last week, we will endeavour to have a debate on the enlargement of the European Union between now and the end of this term. That debate will include discussion on other issues, such as neutrality, which were raised today. Senator Henry is correct when she says we should condemn what is happening in Northern Ireland. Although we may not voice our condemnation of the violence when we meet every week, our feelings on the issue are clear. We reject and condemn the daily violence in Northern Ireland. We debated the situation in Northern Ireland on a number of occasions last term and I am confident that we will have another opportunity to do so between now and the summer recess.
We all regret the fact that a multinational has decided not to invest in Ireland. Senator Lanigan correctly raised this issue and its implications. The legislation for the rationalisation of the IDA was discussed in this House and I am sure the Whips will agree on a debate on the promotion of our country for both multinational and local investment.
Many of the issues raised can be discussed at other times, for example, during Adjournment debates and Private Members' Business. Senator Honan and Senator Henry mentioned the Minister for Health. He has visited the House many times and I am sure we will be brought up to date on this very important issue. The Senators rightly asked for a progress report and we will arrange that.
Senator Neville's query regarding landowners will be discussed in the House before the summer recess. This House has had many debates on education and the special debate requested by Senator McGowan will also take place. The DTI can be dealt with during Private Members' Business. The Order of Business is not the forum to celebrate the birthday lists which appear at the weekend.
Order of Business agreed to.