For the information of the Opposition, the proposed business for next week will be the Employment Equality Bill, 1997, on Wednesday when there will also be Private Members' time. On Thursday there will be a debate on agriculture, and on Friday there will a debate on Northern Ireland and on foreign affairs. I will do my utmost to facilitate Senator Manning's request for information on business three to four weeks in advance and I will relay such information to the leaders of the various groups.
Senators O'Toole and Brendan Ryan called for a debate on industrial relations. I will try to facilitate the Senators at the earliest possible opportunity.
Senator Costello called for a debate with the Minister for the Environment and Local Government on the establishment of the commission on local authority reform. I will relay this to the Minister and see what progress I can make.
Senators Lanigan, Walsh, Brendan Ryan, Norris and Ó Murchú called for a debate on foreign affairs, especially with respect to the Iraqi, Algerian and Northern Ireland problems. The debate next Friday will facilitate the Senators.
Senator Coogan raised the serious situation which exists in parts of the country regarding radon. I will have a debate at the earliest possible opportunity or his party can put down a motion for Private Members' time. My part of the country, like his, is seriously affected by this problem and I fully support his request.
Senators Walsh and Bonner asked for a set legal fee to be put in place following the experience of the Brigid McCole case. I will relay the Senators' wishes to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Senators Farrell and Norris protested against the removal of Sunday morning service and Mass from the FM frequency on RTE Radio 1. I concur with them and will relay their views to the Chairman of the RTE Authority in the strongest possible fashion.
Senators McDonagh, Quinn and Glynn called for the NRA to respect the wishes of local authority members concerning speed limits near national schools and health care centres. I will relay this to the Minister immediately. I am sure the House will welcome the 18 per cent increase in funding for non-national roads recently announced by the Minister.
Senator McGowan called for a debate on local authority housing. I will relay this to the Minister and try and have a debate at the earliest possible opportunity. I remind the Senator that the debate on the Appropriation Bill tomorrow is an ideal opportunity to highlight this and make his points of view known and it would be the earliest possible opportunity for him to do so.
I hope to have a debate on telephone masts the week after next. Senator Bonner called for a debate on the insurance industry. I will facilitate the Senator at the earliest possible opportunity. Senator Ormonde called for a debate on the interview techniques in the public service and I will also facilitate the Senator.