The Order of Business is No.1, a referral motion whereby No. 18 on the Order Paper is being referred without debate to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights for consideration, the subject matter of which item concerns a proposed Council Decision in respect of the Schengen Convention, which decision forms part of a set of instruments to provide a legal basis for Schengen information, SIS II, which is required to improve performance and to cater for new functions, the Schengen Agreement itself providing for the elimination of border checks between participating states and for a number of law enforcement compensatory measures, in certain aspects of which Ireland successfully applied to participate following Government and Oireachtas approval, and among which aspects is included the Schengen information system through which relevant information is exchanged electronically by a central system; No. 2, Medical Practitioners Bill 2007 — Second Stage, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude no later than 6 p.m., with spokespersons to have 15 minutes, all other Senators ten minutes and the Minister to be called upon to reply no later than ten minutes before the conclusion of Second Stage; No. 3, Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2007 — Second Stage, to be taken at 6.30 p.m. and to conclude no later than 8.30 p.m., with spokespersons to have ten minutes and all other Senators six minutes and the Minister to be called upon to reply no later than ten minutes before the conclusion of Second Stage; No. 4, Broadcasting(Amendment) Bill 2006 — Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 8.30 p.m. and to conclude no later than 9 p.m.; and No. 5, Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007 — Report and Final Stages, to be taken immediately on the conclusion of No. 4 or, if the latter has not concluded earlier, at 9 p.m. and to conclude no later than 9.30 p.m. There will be a sos from 6 p.m to 6.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
The ongoing industrial action on the part of the Irish Nurses Organisation is having a debilitating effect on the health service. It is likely that the situation will become worse before it gets better. In view of the current impasse and the difficulties it is creating in the context of the provision of primary and acute care, does the Leader agree that sooner rather than later, a resolution must be found? Does she also agree it is important that no one, particularly front-line staff, should be demonised while that resolution is being sought? The situation will only be made worse if politicians, either in a leadership or a backbench role, attempt to play one section of the union off against the next.
A resolution to this problem may have to be found in the context of benchmarking. It would be useful if some of the grievances that are clearly felt by nurses could be resolved through the benchmarking process. Does the Leader agree that it might helpful if the Minister for Health and Children came before the House later in the week in order to make a statement on these issues and take questions from Members? There is a great deal of national concern about this issue and we would miss the opportunity to do a service to the public at large if we failed to provide an opportunity for a debate of some sort to take place this week. I ask the Leader to make time available, if she feels it would be useful to do so, for a debate on this matter.
The Minister for Health and Children recently sent to the Children's Hospital Temple Street Hospital, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin and the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght a proposed statutory instrument relating to the establishment of a national paediatric hospital interim board. Will the Leader impress upon the Minister that when the statutory instrument in question, which is secondary legislation, is published, it should be debated in the House, which has yet to have a full debate on the issue of the national paediatric hospital?
On the question of a definition of a national paediatric hospital, the proposed statutory instrument states that secondary hospital services for the children of Dublin and the greater Dublin area will be included. However, this is completely at variance with the commitment the Taoiseach gave to Deputy Rabbitte in the Lower House two weeks ago when he stated that 90% of the children in Tallaght will be treated locally. Secondary services will either be provided locally or they will not. What the Taoiseach said runs completely contrary to what the Minister for Health and Children has indicated in the definition of the proposed statutory instrument that will, if she has her way, be published in the coming weeks. The way to discover who is telling the truth in respect of this matter is to arrange for a full-blown debate on the proposed statutory instrument when it is signed by the Minister. I formally request that time be made available for such a debate.
I do not have a difficulty with No. 1 on the Order of Business, which is due to be taken without debate. However, I would like the matter to be discussed when it has been dealt with by the relevant committee. People should reaquaint themselves with the Schengen Agreement. Our attitude towards the latter is the reason we are still obliged to show our passports when passing through half the member states of the European Union when we should not have to do so. We should reopen the debate on the agreement.
It is regrettable that the nurses' dispute has reached its current stage. I would not normally comment on industrial relations matters but this matter was referred to those at the highest level in the national implementation body and they failed to resolve it. However, progress was made and it would be helpful if people reread the report issued by the body on Sunday afternoon last. The report indicates that significant progress was made on the issue of working hours and that the management side indicated that it was prepared to deal with this. Progress was also made on the issue of the differential between nurses and non-qualified people. However, progress was not made on the 10% general pay claim.
There is a great deal to be said for revisiting the national implementation body with a view to examining what is happening and recognising that progress can be made on two of the three issues. Time possibly could be then made available to deal with the 10% general pay claim. I think people recognise that nurses have made a fair argument, that the issue can and should be addressed and that structures exist for that purpose. The parties should, therefore, return to the national implementation body.
Last week, while debating the Carbon Fund Bill 2006 with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, I pointed to the incandescent light bulbs in the Chamber and asked whether they could be replaced——
With something softer.
Candles would be lovely.
——with environmentally friendly bulbs that do less damage in terms of carbon emissions. I note that the Government issued a statement yesterday to announce its intention to increase the price of incandescent bulbs. That is a regressive and regrettable measure. What does the Government expect people to do? Will they sit and curse the darkness or buy another light bulb? It is simply another stealth tax on bulbs. The proper solution is a ban on incandescent bulbs and an immediate change to modern bulbs. One country, Australia, has already announced that it will ban all incandescent bulbs from 2009. There is no reason Ireland should not show leadership to the rest of the world by beginning to phase out old fashioned carbon emitting bulbs from 2008. Rather than curse the darkness, let us do something positive for the environment by taking that approach. I ask the Leader to bring my suggestion to the attention of the Minister.
I support the comments made by Senators Brian Hayes and O'Toole about the nurses' work to rule and threat of further industrial action. I stress the need for both sides to meet for the sake of everyone affected by the dispute. We should support all efforts made in this regard.
I also support the call made by Senator Brian Hayes for a debate on the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght. The issue is also important to people in my constituency which adjoins the Senator's.
Articles were published today and yesterday in The Irish Times by the family law reporter, Carol Coulter, and John Waters regarding a speech given by Ms Coulter at a conference on the role of children in divorce proceedings. I wish to speak about the general issue rather than dwell on the details of the two writers’ debate. Senator Browne recently raised this issue when he called for a debate on the status of divorce ten years after the referendum. Such a debate would be important and could be based on the report recently presented by Ms Coulter regarding the family law courts. We should investigate what needs to be done to reform the system of family law. This issue affects a large number of people. Having worked in the area of family law, I am not happy with the system and I am aware that both women and men share my opinion.
Children should not be involved in court proceedings where at all possible, and alternative methods should be available to deal with these issues. I have proposed that we consider the measures introduced in this regard by Australia. Senator O'Toole also referred to that country, which is obviously taking several imaginative initiatives. Australia has done a lot of work in terms of trying to introduce a better system for dealing with family disputes. Family relationship centres have been established on a strong funding basis and a family relationship freefone number and on-line resource have been made available. The centres, which act as one-stop-shops for issues such as families that are breaking down or parents who are separating, allow people to avail of mediation, alternative dispute resolutions and parenting arrangements. I strongly argue that Ireland should take a similar approach. If we hold the debate Senator Browne and I seek, we will have an opportunity to air these views. We should promote co-parenting, alternative dispute resolutions and mediation as well as providing the supports and funding necessary for those approaches.
I agree with what Senator Tuffy stated. I would welcome a debate on divorce ten years on and on how the concept of family will be redefined. The entire fabric of society has changed and we must consider the role of family law and how it should be reformed. I do not know whether such a debate is possible in this session.
The reform of the Central Applications Office is an issue close to my heart. We should have a root and branch examination of how the system works for our young children. It is wrong that after completing the leaving certificate one can only change one's mind until 1 July. Students should be able to wait until they have their results before completing a change of mind slip and they could base it on how they do in the leaving certificate. The CAO should be more flexible. This could be introduced this year and we should not need to wait. It should not take such a change for it to operate in the short term.
We should examine the system. Entry to third-level education has changed. The supply is no longer there and many courses do not need to involve the CAO. We must debate this matter. I do not know whether it is possible to do so because we are running short of time. If it is possible, I would welcome a debate before the leaving certificate begins. The CAO has had this power for too long and it should be diluted.
The House is aware that Dingle continues to suffer. It is blatant discrimination. I am thrown off by the Leader's smile. I do not know what brought it on.
Senator Coghlan should not be looking at the Leader. He should be looking at the Chair.
Please do look at me.
With respect, when I do not look at the Leader the Cathaoirleach asks me to address my questions to her.
I never did.
He never did, honestly.
I stand corrected. I thought the Cathaoirleach always asked me to address questions to the Leader which is what I was about to do.
Questions are to be addressed to the Chair.
I always bow to the Cathaoirleach's superior knowledge. A recent survey of more than 100 visitors showed beyond doubt this blatant discrimination hampers trade.
In Dingle?
Yes, because they cannot find An Daingean and go astray from all sorts of places.
They cannot find Senator Coghlan.
When will the Government solve this serious issue of blatant discrimination, which exists only in County Kerry against the good people of Dingle? Bilingual signs are inside and outside Gaeltacht areas in counties Cork, Galway, Mayo and Donegal.
Dingle is full.
I wish it were.
I join with Senator Brian Hayes in his concern about the attitude of the Government towards the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght. I will simply point out that the name "national children's hospital" resides legally with Tallaght Hospital. This must be examined as does the fact that the Government gave clear commitments to Tallaght that the National Children's Hospital would be continued and developed at Tallaght. One waits to see what will materialise.
The situation with regard to the nurses is serious. It worries many people in the community who rely on the professional standards of nursing and medical care when they are taken ill. It is ridiculous to have a situation where nursing staff supervise less qualified people than themselves and are paid less than the less qualified people they supervise. It is an absurd situation and is extremely aggravating for nursing staff.
However, although I have always strongly supported the nurses, I believe they are in danger of losing public sympathy if they threaten or use the strike weapon. This is very clear from soundings one hears on every radio and television programme, in the newspapers and speaking with people on the streets. I would caution the nursing profession against taking too strong and militant a stance as I am afraid it may lose public sympathy.
I join Senator O'Toole in expressing an interest in No. 1 on the Order of Business. I was going to indicate my regret at it being passed without debate but there seems to be a mechanism whereby it may come back to us. It is very important we discuss it. The Schengen agreement is a complex and important matter but this also deals with the exchange of information.
I am in possession of information which leads me to believe that people in this country who come from other territories sometimes have their cases very seriously prejudiced by the lodging with the system of completely untrue and anonymous information, which is subsequently used by the Irish authorities against such people. There is no recourse, and when people ask what the information is, they are told it will not be given to them. It is a Kafkaesque scenario and one I propose to explore a little further.
I refer to the point raised by Senator Tuffy. I also read the article by Carol Coulter, an extremely fine journalist who is very clear and dispassionate in what she writes. Mr. John Waters wrote an extraordinary article, published yesterday in the same newspaper, which seemed set on undermining her position and professional role. It made some extraordinary insinuations against her. It is very strongly rebutted by Dr. Coulter in this morning's paper.
A concern of mine as I read the article by Mr. Waters was that he seemed to deplore the existence of the guardian ad litem, to which I would take great exception.
Is the Senator seeking a debate?
I thank the Cathaoirleach for his assistance and I am definitely seeking a debate. The guardian ad litem was introduced in this House after a long battle as a result of an amendment put down by myself and seconded by Senator Ryan of the Labour Party. The Senator was not then of the Labour Party, he was still moderately independent.
We do not need that complete detail.
It is an historical analysis.
I am sure the Cathaoirleach does not need it because his knowledge of the Seanad and its history is encyclopaedic. It must be said the system was first introduced in Britain as a result of a case in which a young girl was returned to her abusive family and murdered.
Senator——
It was to prevent that kind of scenario that the guardian ad litem system was introduced. I have no regrets about being responsible for it. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his helpful suggestion.
The publication in a newspaper last Sunday of what was termed an internal and private memo from within an insurance company greatly disturbs many people who have made personal injury claims following accidents. It is disturbing that the insurance company has established what it terms a "Garda panel" of retired and, in some alleged cases, serving, members of the Garda who access, source and relay information on accidents through the Garda computer system. This is a gross abuse of the system in this country.
Hear, hear.
Hear, hear.
It is important that we ask the Data Protection Commissioner to investigate this matter thoroughly and have a full examination on why it is stated that as a result of these investigations, the costs of this insurance company have been dramatically reduced. There allegedly have been bonus payments to members of the legal profession who were acting on the company's behalf and made settlements on the third party's doorstep rather than through the courts or the PIAB. It is a disgrace if these events are occurring. It is one issue that many people are benefiting from lower insurance premia but if the company in question is conducting matters as alleged there will be serious consequences for the insurance industry. I hope the matter will be investigated thoroughly and as quickly as possible to allay the fears of the many people who are genuinely and severely injured as a result of road accidents.
In any industrial relations situation, one should refrain from making a comment that might prejudice the outcome. I wish both sides well in the nurses' dispute and I hope they find an amicable resolution. I am sure the will is present and I hope the mechanism can be found to address the issues.
Two years or three years ago, we passed legislation insisting that those who drive motor boats on our internal waters or on the sea have certificates of competency, but the statutory instrument has not been introduced. I am not sure why this is the case, but I understand that a number of courses issue the certificate in Ireland because a similar law is being enforced in France. People who want to holiday and drive motor boats in France must get certificates of competency in Ireland beforehand.
Why have we not introduced the statutory instrument? We could do something about the number of deaths each year on our internal waters and seas. We passed the legislation, but it is not being enforced. There is a possibility that the tourism industry believes it would be damaged by enforcement, but why do we pass legislation if we will not enforce it? The legislation should be enforced despite the danger to the tourism industry.
Senator Browne asked for a debate on the ten years since the divorce referendum, particularly regarding Senator Norris's point about guardian ad litem. I read the article in yesterday’s The Irish Times. When we passed the legislation, we did not realise that it may entail asking three year old children whether they want to go with their mommies or daddies. If that is the case, it was not our intention.
It is not the case.
Yesterday's article stated that it is occurring.
John Waters is notoriously inaccurate.
If it is the case, we should ensure our intention for the legislation is being followed.
I would like to echo Senator Norris on the question of the nurses' dispute. It would not be helpful to have a debate on the matter, as industrial relations should be sorted out in the industrial relations arena. Debating them here would only make matters more difficult. That is not to say Members should not reflect the public's concern.
Speaking as a non-party Senator, I welcome that the parties seem determined to keep the matter from becoming electoral leverage. It would be unwise of the nurses' leadership to believe the election could be a useful factor, as the issue must be dealt with by whoever is in Government. I hope that we do not need to wait until the end of the week for those involved to return to the Labour Court and its proper procedures.
I have a pleasant interest in another matter this week in that the travel pass has been made available North and South. It is a great development and has been welcomed by senior citizens in Northern Ireland. I hope many senior citizens in the South will take the opportunity to travel to the North. It is an example of cross-Border co-operation and communication that we should welcome.
Hear, hear.
My party argued for many years that a travel pass should be introduced——
It never did anything about it.
——to allow people to visit all parts of the island of Ireland.
Why did Fine Gael not introduce it?
I would like the Leader to invite the Minister for Social and Family Affairs——
He was in the House last week.
——to the House for a debate on Government policy in all parts of the pensions system, including social welfare pensions. Many people, including women who retired from the Civil Service when the marriage bar was in place, do not receive any support under the social welfare system. I am glad the bar was abolished in 1974.
The Senator had an opportunity to speak when the House debated the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007 last week.
It is important that we have a debate on this issue.
Hear, hear.
We had it last week.
We should have another debate.
It is very dear to my heart.
The Senator should read the transcript of last week's debate.
Some issues which have been brought to my notice over the past week were not fully addressed on that occasion.
Senator Bannon will get all the information he needs from the transcript.
We should have a full and thorough debate on this issue.
We had it.
Where is the Green Paper on pensions that was promised? It has not been delivered by the Government.
Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
There was a consultation document.
We had that debate last week.
No, wait now——
No, we had that debate last week.
Excuse me, a Chathaoirligh——
We will not debate it again.
A Green Paper on pensions was promised in November.
We will not debate it again.
It was promised again in February and March.
We had that debate last week.
It is now April and we have not got it yet.
Hear, hear.
Does Senator Bannon remember the debate that took place last week?
Idle talk, a Chathaoirligh.
I support Senator Ulick Burke's comments on a particular insurance company. It is a question of ambulance chasing as far as settlements are concerned. A procedure is in place now. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board, which was established by the Oireachtas and the former Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Harney, has proved to be a successful vehicle for the settlement of cases in an orderly and proper manner. The book of quantum that has been agreed is now part of the established approach and should be adhered to. The newspaper that raised this issue has served a purpose. I am delighted that Senator Burke raised in the House the need to make people aware that they should not agree to supposedly urgent settlements which are made on the basis of trying to save costs. The insurance companies are benefitting from this approach. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board, which is bedding down very well, should be allowed to deal with such cases in a proper, orderly and transparent manner. I thank Senator Burke for raising this issue.
I join Senator Maurice Hayes in complimenting the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, for bringing about an all-Ireland travel pass system. It is wonderful that people can use their free travel passes to go north, south, east and west. As applications must be made for the passes in question, I urge pensioners who are eligible for the scheme to apply. People on both sides of the Border must apply directly for the pass, which is separate from the standard pass.
Perhaps the Senator can mention this issue in his newsletter.
I will. I thank the Senator for his suggestion.
It is not appropriate to mention newsletters on the Order of Business.
I appreciate that. I assure Senator Coghlan that Dingle, or whatever name one likes to call it, was packed out——
It is called Daingean Uí Chúis.
——with Irish and American tourists last week.
That is great. Was the Senator there?
He is like the Holy Ghost; he is everywhere.
He is no ghost.
Like Senator Maurice Hayes, I am relieved that the nurses' dispute has not become a party political issue. We have to remember that market forces are on the nurses' side. The shortage of midwives in this country is so desperate that women are being seen later and later in pregnancy. Those who are employed in many of our maternity hospitals are under such stress that they cannot be retained. We are producing enough nurses in this country, but we are unable to retain them. We lose approximately half of our nurses within three years of graduation. I promoted direct entry into midwifery, which is now available in some hospitals. The nursing profession is leaking graduates, so we must think of means of retaining them. Considerably more than 10% of the nurses in this country graduated overseas. It is sad to think that a significant proportion of those who graduate here leave the profession. I accept that some of them go abroad for extra training.
In my ten years' experience in the House I have found every Member to have a strong humanitarian orientation in considering those who are vulnerable and helpless, particularly the aged. I have heard many contributions from Members speaking on behalf of old people who have been victimised or suffered. There is a case of a 96 year old woman in Galway who, in her twilight years, will have her life changed. She may end up in an institution, with no one to care for her, because her son is going to prison. That is a justice issue and we have discussed justice on various occasions, including the varying approach to it. Humanitarian aspects should have been brought to bear——
That is a court decision. We must respect the separation of powers.
We discussed the justice system last week. Whether it is politically correct or not, an old woman should not find herself in this position. Opportunities existed to ensure the person who will be imprisoned would undertake community service. I do not accept that the woman should be in this position.
I join other Senators in seeking a debate on family matters. It would be timely considering the recent tenth anniversary of the divorce referendum. It is time to reflect on whether we were right or wrong. The CSO figures provide food for thought, showing an increase of 70% in the number of divorced people. There is also great variation, with Limerick and Dublin showing the highest rates and Galway and Cavan the lowest. We could arrange a wide-ranging debate on family law matters, examining the issues on which we can support married and unmarried families. We can acknowledge the permutations and combinations in modern Ireland.
I congratulate the Minister for allowing the travel pass to be used in Northern Ireland. A major problem exists for those in isolated non-urban areas. The travel pass is worth very little to them because they are not near a DART or bus station. Could those in isolated areas be allowed to use the travel pass as taxi vouchers instead? They could be given a number of taxi vouchers.
I know of a partially blinded lady with two adult sons with Down's syndrome. She must walk one mile along an extremely dangerous road to catch the bus to use her travel pass. We must examine the use of a taxi voucher system for the travel pass in rural areas. People in towns and cities enjoy greater level of service from the travel pass than those living in rural areas.
What is the Government's plan for the Defamation Bill, No. 8 on the Order of Business?
What Bill is that?
Has it been shelved or is it the intention of the Government to resurrect it after Easter?
That is the period of the resurrection.
I seek the Cathaoirleach's guidance. In the course of my contribution I referred to the proposed national paediatric hospital development board that will be established by statutory instrument. Under Standing Orders, if and when that is proposed, I should have 21 days to bring an order before the House to have the statutory instrument debated before it becomes law.
It would depend on the terms of the legislation.
I understand that the House has 21 days to annul the statutory instrument and if it has not been annulled, it comes into effect. If that is the case, I ask the Leader to respond to the issue because it is crucial there be a debate before this is put in place by sleight of hand by the Minister for Health and Children.
Senator Brian Hayes raised the nursing dispute, sensibly proposing that since the national implementation body has discussed the issue and, as Senator O'Toole pointed out, has reached accommodation on two of the three issues, it should go back to the NIB. There is no higher body for dealing with disputes and it could be looked at through the benchmarking process. That is a sensible idea and some minds are already considering that. I hope so because people are worried about this, even those who are not sick.
Senator Hayes also mentioned the proposed statutory instrument regarding a national paediatric hospital development board and asked for a debate on it. I am sure it could be debated under the 21 day rule. I have never seen the rule invoked but the Senator claims the Taoiseach is at variance with the Minister for Health and Children on the matter. Senator Hayes claims no debate on the location of the children's hospital has taken place and this may allow for it. We will see if that is possible.
Senator O'Toole pointed out that the NIB had shown possibilities for forward movement in the nurses' dispute and the subject should be revisited by the body. He also mentioned the light bulb levy, calling instead for the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs by the Government by 2009. I will mention the idea to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
I agree with Senator Tuffy. Those of us who are campaigning for election to the Dáil come across houses where the mother has the children, in accordance with court judgments. The father, however, wants to have the children for the weekend but only has a small apartment, after the mother was granted the tenancy of the council house, and has nowhere to bring the children. That has caused a great deal of disquiet and worry because the father wants to play the part of a parent but cannot see his children at weekends because he has nowhere to bring them. Sometimes the social worker does not allow the father access because of a lack of proper housing. It is a vexed question. I supported divorce but it brings trauma in its wake. It is a traumatic step, especially when children are involved. The Senator mentioned the report by Dr. CarolCoulter on the topic. There could be a junior family mediation process where co-parenting issues could be discussed and children could talk through their difficulties. It would be good to have such a system in place.
That was echoed by the remarks made by Senator Browne, but in many cases, divorce is preferable to warring parents with young children in the house, because that is very difficult for children to cope with. Experiencing conflict daily is harmful and a respite from it is necessary. We should arrange a debate on family law ten years after the divorce referendum. I thank both Senators for raising in such a vigorous manner how children are affected by the onset of divorce.
Senator Ormonde agreed with the points made by Senator Tuffy and called for reform of the CAO. Many colleges are now scrambling to get people to take courses, rather than the other way around, and they are visiting far-off places such as India and China in order to get students. It would be good if there could be more flexibility, as regards the CAO.
Senator Coghlan returned to his favourite theme, Dingle. He should do his master's treatise on it or something such. I am sure he would be ably assisted, in the event, by Senator O'Toole. He worries that the visitors are not coming because they cannot find where to go to. Senator Leyden has direct knowledge of Dingle from last weekend when, he reports, one could hardly budge in it.
That was one instance.
It sounds very good to me.
What about the dolphin?
Senator Norris——
It is still there.
Order please.
——said that the children's hospital in Tallaght is legally the National Children's Hospital and that has to be addressed before the move to the new site. He said the nurses were in danger of losing public sympathy if they take the militant stance they are proposing. Senator Norris also referred to the Shengen Convention and Dr. Carol Coulter's piece in The Irish Times, yesterday, as well as Mr. John Waters’s contribution.
Senator Ulick Burke referred to the internal memorandum about the insurance company, which I believe we have all read, and the rather dubious methods they use to get information and to move in on clients making payments to members of the Garda Síochána. Senator Glynn wished both sides well in the nurses' dispute.
Senator Quinn raised the matter of the legislation governing competence standards for those who steer boats, which has not yet been implemented. I will make inquiries about that, since I understand it was to be implemented. The Senator also referred to the position of children following divorce proceedings involving their parents.
Senator Maurice Hayes said there was great public concern as regards the nurses' dispute and emphasised the need to get the negotiations re-started. He mentioned cross-Border travel and hailed today's development, as regards all-Ireland free travel for the elderly. It is a great move forward and a great step in cross-Border relationships. We travel up and they travel down. It is terrific. Senator Bannon said the rainbow coalition Government had introduced this initiative. It did not because it was only introduced yesterday.
It was part of our policy document.
Senator Bannon must allow the Leader, without interruption, please.
We listened to Senator Bannon for quite a while but regardless of that, this Government introduced the measure, not the rainbow coalition Government. However, we are very happy that we brought it in.
The Oireachtas brought it in.
The taxpayers pay, not Senator O'Rourke or Fianna Fáil.
It is a very good thing——
The Leader should not be trying to initiate a debate.
Do not be annoying him——
The Leader's party hoodwinked the electorate for too long.
They shall have it in Mullingar and can travel to Athlone.
Yes they will, very soon. They will have it from the Dáil.
Order please, now.
It is a very good use of taxpayers' money, to allow people North and South to be able to travel.
Order, please.
That was Senator O'Toole, the Cathaoirleach will have to reprimand him.
Senator Bannon also referred to the Green Paper on pensions policy. There was an excellent debate in House last week and it was a pity the Senator had to miss it, on the——
On a point of order, I was on important business at Athlone Institute of Technology, the opening of a very special event——
Senator O'Rourke should not be provoking interruptions from Senator Bannon.
I am not provoking him at all.
Senator O'Rourke is directing him.
Senator O'Rourke was conspicuous by her absence from Athlone last week.
We must be serious and have regard for the dignity of the House.
Senator Leyden referred to the point Senator Ulick Burke had raised about a particular insurance company. The Senator said PIAB had been properly set up by the State. An eminent Member is on the board, doing the business of the nation.
Senator Henry raised the issue of the shortage of midwives and claimed the nursing profession is leaking members. Graduates are no sooner qualified than they are going to work abroad or in many cases qualifying abroad.
Senator Ó Murchú raised the humanitarian issue of the 97-year old woman who had to leave her home to be looked after because of a particular incident in her son's life. I commend Senator Ó Murchú's feelings.
Senator Browne sought a debate on family matters and supports for families. The rural transport initiative, which I introduced, will be extended nationwide. A community welfare officer would assist the case referred to by Senator Browne with taxi vouchers. Community welfare officers are good and flexible.
There is a problem for isolated rural dwellers to avail of the free travel scheme.
Yes, but the community welfare officer would deal with that.
Senator Cummins asked if the defamation Bill will be resurrected, exhumed or buried. It will not be dealt with until after Easter.
The Leader can sing that.