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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Dec 2001

Vol. 168 No. 26

Order of Business.

Before announcing the Order of Business, I would like to welcome back to the House as a Member of Seanad Éireann our new Senator, M. J. Nolan, who was today successfully elected by 116 votes to 92, to take the place vacated by the former Member of this House, now Deputy Tom Hayes.

Senator Nolan originally became a Member of this House on 7 May 1982, which I remember well as I also became a Member of the House on that date. He served in Dáil Éireann from the November elections of 1982 until 1997. He follows in the footsteps of his father, the late Tom Nolan, who was a Member of Seanad Éireann from 1961 to 1965. From 1965 to 1982 he was a Member of the Dáil, during which time he served as a Minister of State and as Minister for Labour.

Mr. Nolan is very welcome back to the House. During his time in the Dáil he served in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Secondary Legislation of the European Communities and he has been a member of Carlow County Council since 1979, of Carlow Urban District Council from 1984 to 1987 and of the South Eastern Health Board since 1985. I warmly congratulate Mr. Nolan, his wife and his family on his becoming, again, a Member of the Upper House. I wish him well and look forward to working in close harmony with him for the remainder of the term of this Seanad.

The Order of Business for today is No. 3, Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill, 2001 – all Stages, with the contributions of spokespersons on Second Stage not to exceed 20 minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed ten minutes; No. 4, earlier signature motion to be taken without debate at the conclusion of No. 3; No. 1, Appropriation Bill, 2001 – all Stages, with contributions of spokespersons on Second Stage not to exceed 15 minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed ten minutes; No. 2, earlier signature motion to be taken without debate at the conclusion of No. 1.

I welcome Senator Nolan to the House. If there must be another Fianna Fáil Senator – and there are more than enough of them already—

Hear, hear.

—I am very glad he comes from Carlow, the town from which I come. His father and my father served in the LDF together back in those days and our families have been friends ever since. I congratulate Senator Nolan on his election and I know he will make a good and positive contribution to this House. I also pay tribute to Councillor Michael Fitzgerald, who was defeated in this election. However, this was just an early morning gallop as he gets ready for the real race later next year.

A good gallop, too.

I thank him for his very good gallop.

The Leader continues to baffle us about the Order of Business. On what is either the last or the second last day of the session – the Leader did not make us any the wiser – the business is still coming in upside-down. The item we thought would be first is now second and the things we thought would be taken tomorrow are being taken today. Maybe the Leader can clarify what is happening, in his own inimitable way. Are we sitting tomorrow, as the Whip indicated? Last week the Whip went out and, lo and behold, a Pandora's box had opened up by the end of the week as new items of business jumped out almost on the hour. It was great fun here on Friday – those Senators who had to stay very late will agree with me on that – and tempers were a bit frayed. I compliment the Leader on his consistency in keeping us all in the dark about what he really intends to do. Maybe he could clarify some of those issues.

When can we expect the appointment of the single financial regulator? It was promised by the Leader and, more importantly, by the Minister for Finance, that we would have it in early 2001 and then in the middle of 2001, but still there is no sign of it. If the House sits tomorrow could the Leader explain the situation? I refer also to the waste disposal crisis. There is clearly a problem in this regard. People who are earning an honest living now find themselves in great trouble. There is confusion as nobody seems to be in charge. Wicklow County Council seems to be making a hames of the whole thing. It is very important that the Minister intervenes in order that somebody is in charge of this.

I am not sure if this is the last or second last day of the session. I pay tribute to the two Irish teams which played in the final of the inaugural Celtic league, a fact which speaks very well for Irish rugby. I pay particular tribute to the men of Leinster who showed they are the true champions in a thrilling match last Saturday.

I, too, welcome Senator M. J. Nolan to the House. I do not know how much help he received from the benches on this side of the House, but we are happy to see him here. I echo Senator Manning's view that if there has to be another Fianna Fáil Member, then Senator Nolan is as good as they have got. I wish him well in his career.

The Order of Business has become a type of magical mystery tour as the actual business we do bears no relation to what we set out to do. We are back to a position which existed some years ago before we tried to create some order. This House should order its business professionally and efficiently and that is not happening at the moment. Members of the House should know what items will be discussed tomorrow and the day after and should be able to prepare their speeches accordingly. I do not know how much people value their time but they should value it. This is no way to run the House.

Judging from the Order of Business announced, all Stages of two significant Bills will be taken today. It looks like there will not be any business left for tomorrow as I understand the Private Members' business scheduled for tomorrow night will not be taken. The Cathaoirleach should take an interest in the ordering of business.

The Chair has no involvement in the ordering of business.

While I accept the Cathaoirleach's ruling, it reflects badly on all of us. It cannot be a matter of any pride that we cannot order our business in an efficient, professional manner.

Last year, we agreed on this side to take the Appropriation Bill in one day on the condition that it would be put back on the Order of Busi ness following the recess in order that the issues could be discussed at length. That was a very good way of approaching it and, on that basis, we would not have any difficulty with all Stages being taken.

The proposal to take all Stages of both Bills in one day is one of which nobody here was aware and we cannot be expected to respond on the hoof to that. This is not good enough. On speaking to the Leader two minutes before we came in, we heard about the latest change to the Order of Business and now find that three minutes later it is all changed again. There is no point in acting in a co-operative manner. I appeal to the Leader to try and get things done in an orderly fashion for the next term in order that we can do our business better.

The issue of children with special needs and this morning's Supreme Court judgment should be ordered for discussion as the provision of secure units for children with special needs has effectively been halted. I am not arguing with the Supreme Court's decision as it is not our business to do so. Mr. Justice Peter Kelly may well have crossed the line but, even if he did so, he also pointed out a real problem which is of huge concern to parents, teachers and communities in which there are no resources or supports for children such as those on which he focused.

Will the Leader insist that the Minister gives us a full outline of the current position? I understand that the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Hanafin, puts plenty of pressure on the Government to get things done. Some progress is being made but this issue is just another poor reflection on the way we look after the least well-off in society. I know that is a cliché, but surely a child with special needs must receive consideration.

The Senator has made his point.

I ask the Leader to order this debate as soon as possible.

I, too, congratulate our new Senator, M. J. Nolan, on winning the election. He is very welcome to the House and I am sure, given his past contributions in the Dáil, that he will make a substantial contribution to this House. I know him to be a gentleman and am delighted to see him here.

I join in expressing dissatisfaction with the Order of Business today. It is outrageous that the Leader of the House should order business for two days and then, apparently, attempt to encapsulate it into one day as well as reordering it so that No. 1 has now become No. 3. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business: that No. 1 be taken as No. 1, that we take only the Second Stage of No. 3 today and that we continue on to the other Stages tomorrow.

Senator Manning asked when the financial regulator is to be appointed. In addition, I seek clarification of the role of the financial regulator in terms of regulating the banks. Bank of Ireland has closed 40 bank branches in the last 12 months and AIB has closed, I think, 70 branches over the last three or four years. We need to ask questions about that.

Could we have silence on the Independent benches, a Chathaoirligh? It seems the Independents wish to continue their discussions after their spokesperson has spoken. Senators are entitled to some peace when speaking in the House.

I agree with the Senator.

I wish to request, once again, that the Minister for the Environment and Local Government be invited to the House in relation to a matter which has been raised on a number of occasions. We had a debate on illegal dumping last week but the situation has now reached the ludicrous stage where 200 of the hauliers involved in illegal dumping are demonstrating outside the Houses of the Oireachtas because of the closure of some of the dumps and demanding that licences be issued. Prior to this, the impression was that there were no illegal dumps and that licences had been issued. The Minister should come to the House to explain this ludicrous situation.

I join in welcoming Senator Nolan; it is good to see him here. In relation to Senator Manning's reference to the celebration of Leinster's famous victory over Munster at Lansdowne Road in the Celtic Cup, we should note that Senator Nolan plays a pivotal role in parliamentary life as the parliamentary scrum half and captain of the parliamentary team.

With regard to the dumping issue, it would be appropriate to come to that as soon as possible in the next session. It is important to distinguish between the dumping of rubble and soil, which is the business of the protesting lorry drivers, and the dumping of hospital waste and other illegal substances. Those are two distinct activities and the dumping of soil under licence is obviously allowed to continue. Perhaps the protesters have some merit in their argument although the method they have chosen to highlight it may not be the most appropriate and I believe the gárdaí dealt with that this morning.

Almost all Senators present have indicated they wish to speak on the Order of Business. I expect Senators to be brief and relevant in their contributions. I will insist that they do so.

I have always been a model of brevity in the House, I hope. I agree with other Senators in relation to the Order of Business. The Leader of the House should recognise that the value of this House has been the depth of analysis of issues which takes place here. If the Order of Business is changed minute by minute, there is no opportunity for proper research which is essential to the quality of debate in the House.

On another issue, it is an ironic – and probably unintended – consequence of the deregulation of taxi drivers that wheelchair accessible taxis will eventually be no longer needed. One unfortunate aspect of that is people who need wheelchair access to public transport are not getting it, despite the fact that the Taoiseach gave a personal commitment to have a top class service put in place in terms of wheelchair accessible buses. I ask that the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, or the Taoiseach fulfil the commitment they made to those people over 12 months ago.

Like other Members, I sought a debate on the fishing industry in the past two weeks. I wish to convey my congratulations to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Fahey, on the excellent job he did in Brussels. The Minister was swimming against the tide and, in my view, he produced a phenomenal result for an industry in which 10,000 jobs were at risk. I am extremely impressed by the way he dealt with the difficult debate on reductions in fish quotas.

I wish to respond to a comment made by Senator Costello, which might have been misinterpreted. The slight buzz of conversation among Independent Members earlier was because we were seeking to reach agreement on supporting the excellent amendment to the Order of Business. Having reached that agreement, I have been directed by my colleagues to second the motion and I do so formally now.

I was surprised not to receive a proposed wording for the Government's Private Members' time motion for tomorrow. We on this side of the House are usually chivvied if we do not submit the wording for such motions on the Thursday of the previous week. However, the Government seems to be able to sail along and produce motions whenever it feels like doing so.

Will the Leader make provision for a further debate on Sellafield? People are worried about dumping, but I am particularly concerned about the emanations from Sellafield. I ask the Leader to congratulate the Minister on having secured the support of the Norwegians. Our concerns are particularly appropriate at this point because of the failure of the British Government to notify the Irish authorities of a series of shutdowns of nuclear reactors. We are statutorily entitled to be notified about such matters.

Will the Leader provide time for a debate on the implications of the Supreme Court decision referring to Mr. Justice Peter Kelly's ruling on dysfunctional children? If nothing else, this House of the Oireachtas in particular should monitor the legislative and constitutional measures under which children are protected.

A number of my constituents have inquired about the availability of the report of the constitutional review committee from 1996 – document No. TN 2632. This is not available from the Government Publications Sales Office or from the Taoiseach's office, which has responsibility for printing it. Would it be possible for the Leader to use his influence to discover how people who wish to examine this document can procure a copy of it?

I also welcome Senator Nolan to the House. The Nolan family has played a pivotal role in politics in Ireland for many years. Senator Nolan has enjoyed a distinguished career in both Houses of the Oireachtas and I wish him well.

Given that previous speakers referred to the recent rugby final, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Carlow team on the great job they are doing in the first division.

Hear, hear.

Senator Lanigan, the time for the Order of Business is limited.

Long may that success last.

Since we will be sitting tomorrow, will the Leader make time available for an urgent debate on the role of the Security Council of the United Nations? A vote took place at the UN last week which went 12 to one in favour of sending United Nations monitors to the Middle East to oversee what is happening between the Palestinians and the Israelis. As a result of a veto by one member state, the vote was nullified. It is time this House debated the fact that the five permanent members of the Security Council are allowed to veto the wishes of the other 130 member states which voted Ireland on to the council.

Hear, hear.

It is not acceptable that Ireland's presence on the Security Council is being nullified by one member state, the United States, which vetoed the vote to which I refer. If the United States had not used its veto, I could guarantee that Great Britain, which did not vote, would have done so. I request an urgent debate on this matter.

In light of the fact that we are entering the Christmas season, the international community must be asked to help the people of Palestine – Israelis and Palestinians – to achieve peace. The gap between Sharon and shalom must be bridged.

The recently published Irish Official Development Assistance Aid Programme 2001 – A Millennium Decision for Ireland – which deals with Ireland achieving the targets set by the United Nations states that we spent £201 million on development assistance in 2001. It is estimated that next year, we will spend £1 million a day in development assistance, yet that report has never been discussed in this House. If the Irish taxpayer is spending—

Is the Senator seeking a debate on the report?

Yes. We must have an early debate on it. If time cannot be set aside for a debate tomorrow then we must ensure it is debated early in the new year.

In light of the horrific murder of a nun in Ballybay and of a young mother in Dublin and the level of callousness involved, it is appropriate that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform comes to the House to discuss the huge breakdown in law and order in this State.

Will the Leader also request the Taoiseach to come to this House tomorrow to explain the appointment by him of an international consultant as his aviation consultant and to outline whether he has confidence in the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke and Aer Rianta in aviation matters? The House deserves an explanation in that regard.

Will the Leader provide time early in the new year for a debate on education in view of the fact that the results being achieved in mathematics are so bad? Some people blame teachers and the fact that students are working part-time while others – I, too, believe this to be the cause – say it is because students are over-indulging in alcohol. I pay tribute to the teachers who worked long hours to ensure students did not suffer as a result of their recent strike action.

I am also seeking a debate on the report received this morning from the Irish Insurance Federation which states that we will have to pay further increases as a result of the atrocities in New York. The insurance industry has, in the past, cited the fact that we have a small insurance base as the reason for our high insurance costs. We are now being told we will have to subsidise what happened in New York which is ridiculous. We must debate this issue. The report also points out that every insured person in this country pays an extra £120 to cover the cost of those not insured.

The Senator has made his case for a debate.

I add my voice to those who welcomed Senator Nolan. We shall benefit greatly if he is as quick on his feet in this House as he is on the rugby field.

I support Senator Costello's amendment to the Order of Business. We should never take all Stages of a Bill in one day. If we are to make exceptions, it should be on the basis outlined by Senator O'Toole – that we agree to do so on condition that a debate on the matter takes place in the new year. It is wrong to change things at the last minute.

Will the Leader draw to the attention of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the statement by the deputy leader of Europol, the European police force, that a number of countries such as Macedonia and Kosovo plan to adopt the euro as their main official currency and the resultant dangers of counterfeiting?

I, too, wish to raise the issue of the low grades being achieved in mathematics. We recently introduced legislation dealing with the implications of part-time work on students. Mathematics, as we all know, is a hierarchical subject. Students must be in school to receive the various gradings at different stages of mathematics. Coupled with that, there is a conflicting newspaper report which details the shortage of science teachers while at the same time suggesting that there is an excess of science teachers but no vacancies for them. Perhaps, in the new year, those two debates on teachers and mathematics and the impact on our schools and access to third level education could be taken together.

I support the amendment to the Order of Business moved by Senator Costello and seconded by the Independent Members. Once again, we are in a situation where our function, which is to give as much consideration as possible to additional legislation, is being rapidly undermined. I protest again at that, although I am not sure that my protest is falling on anything but deaf ears. To use the phrase of the day, we are reduced to being the "muck-shifters" of the legislative process. I ask the Leader of the House to adopt a new year's resolution, even if we only have a few months in the new year, to treat this House with the respect it deserves.

I ask the Leader to request the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to come to the House this week as a matter of urgency to tell Members how he intends to respond to what is a growing crisis in waste management and to outline if he is prepared to give the necessary resources to local authorities and to the EPA to deal with what is serious problem country-wide.

I sought a debate following the initial leaks from the Ombudsman's report in Northern Ireland. It was agreed that we would wait for that debate until the report was published. It has been published and it is of great concern to me that certain interests are endeavouring to rubbish it by setting out to demonise a fine lady. They are doing so because Nuala O'Loan did her job without fear or favour in the interests of all on this island. It is worrying – her office has pointed this out – because, by being fingered in this manner, her life is being put in danger. We saw this happen in the case of solicitors Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson. As democrats, we must be seen to defend, support and insulate those who give public service. I ask for this debate to be held in the near future.

In view of the judgment of the Supreme Court on the ability of courts to make detention orders for children at risk, I ask the Leader to request the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House as soon as possible after the recess to assure us that proper provision will be made for the most vulnerable children in our society. Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent by the State on litigation relating to vulnerable children. That money could have been spent providing places for those most unfortunate members of our society.

I asked previously for a debate on the development of broadband infrastructure in Ireland. Some €44 million is allowed for this in the budget. The statement released with the announcement of funding said that it would help in providing a network in the new Atlantic corridor from Dingle to Malin Head. I would like the Minister for Public Enterprise to come to the House to outline the proposed investment in broadband infrastructure.

I also concur with the congratulations to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources for his deliberations in relation to the fishing industry.

I apologise to Senator Costello for the talking and muttering behind him among the Independents. I plead not guilty as I was yawning during his speech.

That is the spirit.

I wish to make a point in support of what Senator Norris said about Sellafield. It is time we had a debate on this issue. If the Committee on Procedure and Privileges reviews a request to invite in the British ambassador, as it did last week, and decides he is not a fit person to come in—

The Senator is taking a line which is not in order on the Order of Business.

I accept the British ambassador will not be invited to the House because the Committee on Procedure and Privileges has decided the issue is not sufficiently serious. Perhaps we could invite the Norwegian ambassador to the House to explain why his country is so worried about Sellafield. It is time we got together with our allies on this matter and sent a message to the British Government.

Hear, hear.

It has been pointed out on numerous occasions that the issuing of invitations to distinguished persons to address the House is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. It is not in order to raise these matters in the House.

The Senator was not listening because he was asleep.

Perhaps we could issue an invitation to less distinguished people to come in and address us on Sellafield.

If the Senator wishes to have this matter raised at a meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, he should request his representative on the committee to raise it.

It has been raised at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. This is a matter of which I felt the House should be informed. The committee met behind closed doors and rejected the request.

This is not appropriate to the Order of Business.

The committee secretly decided not to invite the British ambassador because the matter was not serious enough.

Does the Senator have a question for the Leader of the House on the Order of Business?

Yes, I ask him to take Sellafield seriously, not only to have a debate in the House, but also to ask the Norwegian ambassador to come in and suggest ways in which we could combine with him to put pressure on the British Government on this matter.

I echo the sentiments of my colleagues in the context of the election to the House of our friend and colleague, Senator Nolan. I have a personal interest in his election in that both our late fathers, former Senator and Minister, Tom Nolan, and Senator Joe Mooney, came into the House on the same day in 1961. As a result, I have had a long and friendly association with the Nolan family. I am particularly happy that the sons of the next generation now serve together in this House. I wish the Senator every success.

I ask the Leader to consider a debate on a matter contained in a reply issued last week by the Minster for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue. He stated that, of more than 2,700 asylum seekers granted asylum in the past 12 months, in excess of 2,300 were allowed to stay as a direct result of their babies being born here. We are unique in Europe and, I believe, the wider democratic world in this respect. In passing the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement, we agreed to extend the concept of nationality to all those born on the island of Ireland in the context of extending an olive branch to our Unionist brethren on the other part of the island. Neither the people who proposed the Agreement nor the people who voted for it envisaged that, as a consequence of its endorsement, people from any part of the world who have no interest in and possibly no knowledge of Ireland, its culture and social mores can enter the country and deliberately have a babyin order to obtain nationality, not only for themselves but also for their extended family. I choose my words very carefully because in this politically correct world one is immediately branded when one says anything about asylum seekers. I raise the specific issue of the concept of nationality arising from the Good Friday Agreement. The House has a role to play in discussing the matter.

The Senator has made his point.

I want to make it as strongly as I can—

The Senator has done so.

I want to restate that I do not wish nationality to be devalued. The passport I and others hold is being devalued because certain people have no idea about or interest in this country.

I am sure the Leader understands the point.

I reiterate that the debate should be about the concept of nationality.

I want to protest. I am due to speak on the Social Welfare Bill. I appreciate we are all gifted with spontaneity on occasions, but the Leader is being unfair. I wanted to blind him with my brilliance but as the Bill was due to be taken later I will be unable to do that because my notes are not ready. I do not know what the Leader is doing and perhaps he does not know either, but it is rather strange. It is not unreasonable to ask whether the House will sit tomorrow.

I support the comments made by Senator Taylor-Quinn with regard to the increase in crime, which makes a laugh of the Fianna Fáil poster I saw on the road –"Crime Down – Vote Fianna Fáil". That is amazing.

We had a major battle here last year to give people with mobility problems the right to travel, to use that famous phrase, and funding was allocated. I expect that matter to be resolved immediately.

It has been resolved.

I would also like to be associated with the congratulations to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Fahey. On behalf of all fishermen, particularly those in my constituency of Donegal South-West, I thank the Minister for the great work he did in Brussels in recent days to cut back on the draconian measures proposed by Commissioner Fischler. The Minister has proven his absolute knowledge of the fishing industry since he took office and he has highlighted the deficiencies in the common fisheries policy. I am sure we will be successful again when the CFP is reviewed in the coming year.

I want to be associated with the call by Senator Ó Murchú in relation to the police ombudsman. I hope we will have a debate on Northern Ireland early in the new session.

Because of the exorbitant costs of motor insurance for our young work force, which militates against the national effort and impedes economic recovery, and which is a national scandal, I call on the Leader, who has already promised a debate on the insurance industry, to have such a debate at the earliest opportunity because there are major differences between the Motor Insurance Advisory Board and the Irish Insurance Federation in terms of inequity, and those differences must be resolved.

Senator Manning raised the important question of the single financial regulator. We all know the Department of Finance won that argument over the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, but nothing has happened since. We had an innocuous statement from the Government, but nothing more. I have every confidence, along with those on the Government side, in the competence and the governance of the governor of the Central Bank.

That has nothing to do with the Order of Business.

I appreciate the latitude of the Cathaoirleach, and if this is the last sitting day before Christmas, I thank you for your courtesy to all of us throughout the last term.

That has nothing to do with the Order of Business either.

I am as baffled as everyone else by the way the Leader has ordered business. It appears he has had no regard for practice and precedent. I do not want to be unkind to him, but it appears he is making it up as he goes along.

As one who raised on the Order of Business some weeks back the apparent intrusion of certain judicial decisions into the role of the Executive, I welcome the recent Supreme Court decision, which now brings clarity to the situation and restores the constitutional position. I also support Senator Keogh and Senator O'Toole in the call to the Leader to invite the Minister of State, Deputy Hanafin, to the House to debate this issue. That would give us an opportunity to compliment the Minister of State on increasing the number of places from 17 to 93 and on her commitment to further increase the number to 120, the total number of places required by the middle of next year. Such a debate would be useful and an acknowledgement of the Minister's excellent work in this area.

I join in the welcome to my neighbour, Senator M. J. Nolan. Both his father and his brother Enda have given tremendous service in public life in the south east region, and I know Senator Nolan will continue to do that in his new position.

I support the call from Senator Farrell and Senator Coghlan for a debate on the insurance industry, which could cover all aspects of the industry. Senator Manning congratulated Leinster on winning the rugby match last Saturday. I did not attend the match but I believe Leinster deserved to win, and I congratulate them. Will the Fine Gael Members say what is their preferred date for playing the all-Ireland next year, and if they will be playing in Croke Park?

I take this opportunity of thanking you, a Chathaoirligh, and my fellow Members of the Seanad for the warm welcome extended to me. I also thank the Clerk of the Seanad and her staff for the efficient and courteous manner in which she conducted the by-election. I compliment Michael Fitzgerald on his campaign. It is obvious that my time in the Seanad will be short-lived, but I hope during that time I can make some contribution to the workings of the House.

I also join the other Members of the House in their expressions of condolences to the family of the late Eoin Ryan. I had the pleasure of serving in this House with the late Eoin Ryan for a short period in 1982. He was an example to all of us and set standards to which all parliamentarians should aspire.

Senator Manning and many other Senators made various points on the Social Welfare Bill and the Appropriation Bill. As Members will see, there is an early signature motion on the Order Paper in regard to the Appropriation Bill and I understood I had an agreement with the Leader of the main Opposition party to review progress at 6.30 p.m., if that is agreeable to the House.

Senators Manning and Coghlan raised the question of a single financial regulator. Those points can be made to the Minister when he comes to the House to deal with the Appropriation Bill.

Senators Manning, Costello and Dardis called for a debate on waste, particularly soil waste and waste from building sites, with the Minister for the Environment and Local Government present. We are all concerned about the plight of those people who felt so strongly about this issue that they had to deliver a letter personally to the Department. Everyone was pleased with the way the Garda handled the situation today and that traffic in Dublin was not disrupted. I am glad that a common sense agreement was reached.

Senators O'Toole, Norris, Keogh and Jim Walsh called for a debate on the Supreme Court decision on children with special needs. I welcome the 93 places now available and the 41 new places to be made available next year. I will request the Minister of State, Deputy Hanafin, to come into the House early in the next session for a lengthy debate on that issue.

I agree with Senator Costello's call for a debate on banking. Senator Coogan called for a debate on wheelchair accessible taxis, with my colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise, present. I will do everything possible to facilitate such a debate and I avail of this opportunity, on behalf of all Members of the House, to send best wishes to the Minister on her unfortunate accident.

Senators O'Donovan, Chambers and Bonner offered their congratulations to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources on the difficult negotiations which took place at the highest level during a marathon session of the Council. Senator O'Donovan mentioned the ten thousands jobs. Those of us who know how important the fishing industry is certainly breathed a sigh of relief when we heard the outcome today. I will allow time for this issue to be debated in the House after the Christmas recess.

Senators Norris and Ross again called for a debate on Sellafield. All sides of the House are in total agreement on this issue and I have no difficulty leaving time for a debate. On the matter Senator Ross requested, I understood all these publications were in the Library. If they are not, the Senator can let me know after the Order of Business and I will endeavour to have the Library staff address the Senator's requirements. Senator Lanigan called for a debate on the role of the Security Council and particularly developments overseas. I have already given a commitment to have a debate in the House.

Senator Taylor-Quinn and other Senators referred to the recent murders. The appalling circumstances in which people have met their deaths are mind-boggling. It is hard to imagine this is happening in our country and I can only congratulate the Garda on being so attentive and alert. The extreme circumstances in which these incidents have taken place are very difficult, especially coming up to Christmas.

Senator Taylor-Quinn called for a debate on the aviation industry and I have no difficulty leaving time for a debate. Senators Farrell, Coghlan and Rory Kiely called for a debate on the insurance industry. I have already said I intend to have an all day debate on this issue at the earliest opportunity after the Christmas recess. I also take on board Senator Farrell's call in relation to alcohol abuse. It is a timely time of the year to raise this issue. No matter how little one drinks, I would advocate that one should not drive.

I will certainly pass on Senator Quinn's views on the statement by the deputy leader of Europol and on counterfeiting to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and to the Minister for Finance as well. I understand from the Central Bank that the coming into force of the euro currency on 1 January 2002 lessens the potential for counterfeiting. I will certainly take on board the points the Senator has made and will pass them on to the Ministers. It would be timely to have a debate on how the changeover is progressing, perhaps during the second week of February after the 9 February deadline.

Senator Ormonde called for a debate on education matters, including teachers and the shortage of science teachers, in particular. I have no difficulty leaving time for a debate. Senators Ó Murchú and Bonner called for a debate on the ombudsman's report. I have agreed that this will take place at the earliest opportunity. Senator Chambers called for a debate on broadband investment. That could be raised on the Appropriation Bill, 2001, as it is a financial matter. The Senator may be able to update us on the present position in relation to this matter. Senator Mooney called for a debate with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on asylum seekers and the concept of neutrality. I have no difficulty leaving time for such a debate.

On No. 1, the Appropriation Bill, 2001, it is customary that we pass all Stages of that Bill. I assure Senators that in the first week back after the Christmas recess, I will allocate time for Senators who wish to make a contribution on this issue.

Senator Costello has moved an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 1 be inserted before No. 3. Is the amendment being pressed?

Yes, because the Leader has not referred to No. 3.

Amendment put.

Coghlan, Paul.Coogan, Fintan.Costello, Joe.Doyle, Joe.Keogh, Helen.Manning, Maurice.Norris, David.

O'Meara, Kathleen.O'Toole, Joe.Quinn, Feargal.Ridge, Thérèse.Ross, Shane.Taylor-Quinn, Madeleine.

Níl

Bonner, Enda.Callanan, Peter.Cassidy, Donie.Chambers, Frank.Cregan, JohnDardis, John.Farrell, Willie.Finneran, Michael.Fitzgerald, Liam.Fitzgerald, Tom.Fitzpatrick, Dermot.Gibbons, Jim.Glennon, Jim.Glynn, Camillus.

Kett, Tony.Kiely, Daniel.Kiely, Rory.Lanigan, Mick.Leonard, Ann.Mooney, Paschal.Moylan, Pat.Nolan, M. J.O'Brien, Francis.O'Donovan, Denis.Ó Fearghail, Seán.Ó Murchú, Labhrás.Ormonde, Ann.Walsh, Jim.

Tellers: Tá, Senators Costello and O'Meara; Níl, Senators T. Fitzgerald and Gibbons.
Amendment declared lost.
Order of Business agreed to.
Barr
Roinn