Today's Order of Business is item 1, statements on agriculture – Agenda 2000. I propose that the contributions of spokespersons should not exceed 30 minutes and 20 minutes for other Senators, who may share time.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreed. Will the Leader indicate what further legislation, if any, the Government will introduce in the remainder of this session?
The Order of Business is agreeable.
We agree to the Order of Business. Item 11, in the names of the Labour group states: "That Seanad Éireann calls on the Government to support the EU Campaign for the retention of the duty free status at airports and ferries". In view of the apparent hardening of the attitude of the European Union commissioners to an extension of the duty free status, will the Leader bring to the attention of the colleague concerned the sums of money involved? The fact file was presented in a report by the European Union and is considerably at odds with the figures provided by SIPTU and other organisations about the amount of money concerned, the number of workers to be made redundant and the fact that Ireland is an island nation which depends on ferries and airports.
We cannot debate motion No. 11 now. The Senator can seek a debate on the matter.
I am referring to the disproportionate impact that decision will have on employment here. As a final decision is to be taken not later than June, will the Leader ask the Minister for Public Enterprise to come to this House and let us know if she has had any success in persuading her European Union colleagues, who seem to have their faces set against this, on this issue? It will also afford us an opportunity to articulate our concerns.
We have been seeking a debate on foreign affairs for some time. There is greater need for such a debate since the position throughout Europe and the world has become very dangerous. I refer in particular to the current position of the Kurdish people. The Kurds do not have a state of their own; they are a group of people with connections in Iran, Iraq and Turkey. They are victims of the break-up of the Ottoman Empire and of promises made by former colonial powers, such as the UK, that they would have a state of their own. They are being used by the Americans and the Turks. The Americans claim the no-fly zone in northern Iraq is related to threats by them to bomb the Kurds. The Americans have set up a semi-autonomous state for the Kurds in that area and they are creating havoc.
We cannot have a debate on foreign affairs on the Order of Business.
I agree, my question is long-winded. There is an urgent need for a debate on the position of the Kurds. What took place at the Israeli Embassy in Germany yesterday is atrocious. There could be an escalation of the Kurdish problem into Ireland as happened in every other European country. We can, perhaps, make suggestions to the European Union and the United Nations about what should happen.
I support Senator Costello's call for a debate on duty-free sales. A large proportion of the cost of overheads at the regional airport in my constituency comes from contributions from duty-free sales. That airport will be decimated if duty-free sales are abolished.
I congratulate the Minister for Public Enterprise on her efforts in this area and castigate the Commission which has not taken the views of the elected body into consideration.
I support Senator Lanigan's call for a debate on the plight of the Kurdish people. I visited them after their flight from Iran to Iraq following the Gulf War and witnessed their plight. It would be worthwhile if we could inform ourselves better of their situation and have a debate on the matter.
Mr. Ryan
We have the most combative Minister for Health and Children this country has had for some time. He is given to deploring waste within the health services. Will the Leader ask him to come into this House to explain why, when cigarette smoking related illnesses are perhaps the single greatest preventable illness in the State, the Department of Health and Children refuses to supply medical card holders with the various anti-smoking aids which are available? It is one of the glorious Irish contradictions – when people are sick we will spend a fortune treating them, but we will not allow them access to the various aids to assist them to give up smoking.
Will the Leader tell us what is happening in relation to the licensing laws? Also, what is happening to the Tánaiste's promise that the report of the Competition Authority on deregulation of licensing of public houses would be implemented? We were told it had been accepted. Is it difficult to do? The only difficulty seems to lie with the publicans lobby within Fianna Fáil.
I wish somebody from within Fianna Fáil would do the obvious thing and ask the Taoiseach why he agreed in 1992 to the abolition of duty free sales.
These matters can be dealt with during the debate.
Mr. Ryan
When they have asked the Taoiseach perhaps they will come back and tell us what he said.
Will the Leader ask the Minister or Minister of State for the Environment and Local Government to come to this House and explain when, if ever, the commercial and industrial aspects of urban renewal designation are to be included in the overall package? It is clear that what was announced yesterday is not only inadequate but totally unsatisfactory and disastrous for the towns so designated. The vague statement issued by the Minister yesterday is highly unsatisfactory. I was in touch with people in Roscrea and Thurles this morning and not only do they feel this package is unsatisfactory, but it will mean considerable losses for people expecting to invest as happened in previous urban renewal programmes. Will the Leader ask the Minister to come to this House to explain why this matter has been handled so badly and why we have such a cock-up on our hands?
I will inform Senator Manning and the House next Wednesday of the proposed legislation to be taken this session.
Senators Costello and Bonner called for a debate on the abolition of duty free sales and Ireland's position, having regard to the state ments issued from Brussels. I agree with the Senators that this is of the utmost importance bearing in mind that we are an island nation and that it is an area of massive employment for us. It will also result in major difficulties for the ferry companies and regional airports. It will affect airports such as Shannon, Cork and Dublin in areas where Ireland has been a leader in the field of commercial enterprise. Aer Rianta, which has been a major success in Ireland and throughout the world, is to be congratulated on its efforts in this area. I will discuss this matter at our leaders meeting following the Order of Business. In the recent past, this matter has been dealt with by the Minister for Finance, but the Minister for Public Enterprise has, as Senator Bonner said, done a marvellous job in highlighting the matter. It is now before the European Union for discussion at its meeting in March.
Senators Lanigan and Henry called for a debate on foreign affairs and the plight of the Kurds. I will ensure time is set aside for a debate on this issue. Senator Ryan called for a debate on health. I do not have any difficulty with that. In regard to the licensing laws, I understand the report of the Select Committee on Legislation and Security has been sent to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and we are awaiting the legislation on licensing laws.
Senator O'Meara will welcome yesterday's announcement of the designation of 49 areas for residential urban renewal. This is very welcome and many people are pleased about the announcement. Many are looking forward to more employment and worthwhile investment in deprived areas which have been in need of refurbishment for 50 years. The EU will make the decisions on the commercial aspects of urban renewal. I hope this will happen in the near future.
Order of Business agreed to.