Today's Order of Business is items 1, 2 and 17, motion 34. Item 1 will be taken until 1 o'clock and there will be a sos until 2 p.m. Item 2 will be taken from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and item 17, motion 34, will be taken from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A period of 20 minutes per spokesperson is suggested and 15 minutes thereafter on items 1 and 2.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business as outlined is agreed to. In view of events in the Lower House yesterday, the Acting Leader should urge the Government to initiate more legislation in this House. In particular, I strongly recommend her to urge the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications to initiate his second attempt on the Transport (Dublin Light Rail) Bill in this House. In that way we may have a tram extended to the airport, as it should be, by the year 2000.
In view of the fact that the Government might have expected to lose two votes here yesterday but did not, and the growing minority in the Lower House, more legislation should be initiated in the Seanad. Could the Acting Leader arrange for Senator Cosgrave and the other Whips to visit the Whips in the Dáil to explain how they are so successful in winning votes here when they cannot win them in the Lower House?
That is not really an issue for today's Order of Business.
On a more serious point, we welcome the appointment of former US Senator, George Mitchell, to the chair of the forum in the North. We hope those parties who felt they could not agree to his chairmanship will now reconsider and enter the talks. We hope the IRA will restore the ceasefire so that Sinn Féin can participate and we can progress to the meaningful discussions required to bring peace to this island.
Can the Acting Leader arrange a debate soon on the new house grant which these days is miserable in relation to the cost of housing? The new house grant of £3,000 is years out of date. A man in rural Ireland getting a house built——
That is not a matter for the Order of Business. In fairness, it is more appropriate for an Adjournment discussion.
The Leader should arrange a debate on this important matter because thousands of people are waiting for a £3,000 grant without which they cannot legally participate themselves in building their houses. It is a serious situation. Many thousands of people would build their own houses if there was a real attempt to assist them.
As I pointed out, it is not a matter for the Order of Business. It is far more appropriate for an Adjournment debate.
I am protesting that the restrictions on me are greater than those on other Members who ramble from one subject to another.
That is grossly unfair and not a matter for the Order of Business.
I have raised a matter of relevance to the House and the nation but I am not getting the satisfaction of a hearing.
I told the Senator that the matter is more appropriate for an Adjournment debate.
Could the acting Leader ask the Minister responsible for a national convention centre, Deputy Enda Kenny, to come before the House? There is some debate about where a national convention centre should be located.
At Shannon.
There has been talk about locating it in the Royal Dublin Society, O'Connell Street and other venues.
There is one for everybody in the audience.
Does the Senator want it located in Dublin?
That is another subject which would be suitable for an Adjournment debate.
In fairness, a Chathaoirligh, I never ramble.
I did not say the Senator rambled.
The Senator is very focused.
My second question relates to gambling. The establishment of a casino has also been suggested. There must be a public debate on that issue so would it not be appropriate to hold it in this House, where there is perhaps a more intellectual climate than in the other House?
There would be six to four against that debate.
There are times when one has to ramble in this House. A report has been issued this morning which deals with the protection of children in sport. Unfortunately, the headline in The Irish Times claims that the new guidelines “will” protect children in sport from abuse. I do not know how anybody can claim in a headline that something will protect children.
The substance of the report must be addressed by this House. I have been involved in sport at many levels and I have not encountered instances of abuse. I have seen reports of abuse and there is no doubt that it happens. However, it goes against the grain to think that anybody who gets involved in sports coaching, whether professional or amateur, will have to get clearance from the Garda to do so. That will be the death knell of sport. It means that if somebody volunteers to do a job they will have to get a clearance certificate from the Garda. I do not know what sporting bodies were involved in this——
A question on today's Order of Business. We are not discussing that matter now.
This is a serious question and it should be addressed by the Oireachtas, and particularly by this House, before the the personal lives of many good people involved in sports coaching is called into question by virtue of the fact that they will have to seek clearance from the Garda. It is a nonsense.
What arrangements have been made to send the Freedom of Information Bill, which passed Second Stage in this House, to a committee for Committee Stage? A select commitee of the Dáil is currently looking at the draft heads of a Government Bill. However, the Freedom of Information Bill, which was introduced over a year ago and passed Second Stage, should get precedence over that Bill. At least it has been accepted by one House of the Oireachtas while the other Bill has not proceeded beyond discussing the draft heads.
In the recently published Government package for public service reform, legislation on the curtailment of the concept of ministerial responsibility was promised. This would be an excellent forum to deal with that legislation. It would be more suitable than the Dáil and the Bill could be progressed before it reaches the bearpit of Dáil politics.
The Acting Leader of the news emanating from Burma of yet another clampdown on the democratic movement. In particular, there appears to be a threat to the life and liberty of Ms Aung San Suu kyi, the leader of the democratic people of Burma. This House should at some stage in the future be given an opportunity to consider infringements on human rights worldwide.
I hope there is not a note of triumphalism among Senators following the events in the Lower House.
I see Deputy Bhamjee arrived back this morning.
Senator Wright and Senator Dardis raised the question of introducing more legislation in the Upper House. The An Bord Bia (Amendment) Bill is being introduced in the Seanad today. I also heard the Minister, Deputy Lowry, say that he intends to reintroduce the light rail legislation but other options could be offered to him.
He will have to wait six months.
Senator Dardis also referred to the talks in Northern Ireland. I, too, welcome the fact that progress was made late last night with regard to Mr. Mitchell's role in the talks. We wish them well.
Senator McGowan asked about the new house grant scheme. I agree with the Cathaoirleach that it would be a suitable matter for an Adjournment debate. Senator Mulcahy mentioned the national convention centre. It might be a suitable matter for the Adjournment but it could be debated in a wider context. There have been many calls for a debate on tourism, which were heard sympathetically by the Leader of the House, and that issue could be debated in that context.
Senator Lanigan referred to the document introduced by the Minister of State. Deputy Allen, yesterday on the protection of children in sport. We have not had many debates on sport and it would be a suitable topic for discussion. The timeframe before the summer recess is tight; but if there is time available, sport would be a suitable subject for a short debate. Senator Roche mentioned the Freedom of Information Bill. I am aware that there are procedural difficulties in moving the Bill forward but I will discuss it with the Leader of the House on his return and ascertain what progress can be made.
The Senator also referred to ministerial responsibility and local government reform. Last week I suggested holding a debate on the financing of local government. There is great interest in that area on the part of Members of the House and I hope we will have an opportunity to debate it. There is also a great deal of interest in foreign affairs and human rights issues. We have held debates in the past on East Timor and other problem areas so I hope it will be possible to facilitate Senator Roche's request.
Order of Business agreed to.