The Order of Business is No. 1, Adoption Bill 2009 — Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and adjourned not later than 5.30 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 24, motion 37 regarding a new economic and recovery authority, to be taken at the conclusion of No. 1 but not later than 5.30 p.m., and to conclude not later than 7.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business to ask the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House to explain the decision not to proceed, in the short term, with a unit for cystic fibrosis patients and with the isolation units promised. This is a complete breach of faith with these people. It is a life and death issue for patients who suffer from cystic fibrosis. Treatment in this country falls far behind that in other countries, including Northern Ireland. The life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients here is less than it should be because we do not have the facilities. It is an absolute disgrace that, while we had ten years of the Celtic tiger and billions of euro went through this economy, we have not been able to provide basic facilities for these families who are among the most vulnerable in the country and are the most needy in terms of medical care. Anybody who heard Orla Tinsley speak on the 6 o'clock news recently must have been heartbroken listening to what she, her family and all the other patients face on a daily basis. It is an absolute disgrace and I ask the Leader to bring this request to the attention of the Minister for Health and Children immediately and to give us the opportunity to discuss this issue in the House today.
The following issue touches on budgetary matters. Contrary to what we have heard Ministers state on "Questions and Answers" and other programmes, the Opposition has not been given the information it needs from Government. We have had no up-to-date forecasts for the economy from Government and no forecasts of tax and expenditure. We have had no information on the spending options being presented by Departments or the McCarthy group and no information on the costings of tax options being considered by the Government or the tax commission etc. There is a huge amount of information which we want from Government but which we have not received. What the Ministers have said is simply inaccurate. It is not the full picture. The Opposition is not getting the information that the Government is implying it is giving to us. We have asked for detailed information but we have not received it.
I raise the decision by the Minister for Finance on tax on cigarettes. Many of the organisations working with cancer have been giving information on this topic today. It is inexplicable that the Minister has ruled out an increase in the tax on cigarettes. Will the Leader come back to the House on this matter? Public health issues should be predominant in this decision. There is a major problem with smuggling, but it accounts for approximately 15% of the market and it should not be the reason not to increase tax on cigarettes. That issue should be dealt with in its own right and action should be taken by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Will the Leader ask the Department what action is being taken on foot of the findings in the "Prime Time" programme two days ago on the smuggling of cigarettes and the use of children?
While listening to a report this morning about a golf club on the north side of this city which has wasted the time of the court in an attempt to prevent women from joining, I assumed it was an April fool's joke, but I found out later in the morning that it was an actual court case. The court's time is being wasted by some elderly types who cannot handle the women in their lives or who wish to keep them outside the door. This requires a certain amount of discussion to, at least, ridicule these people and, at most, educate them about equality. There is a serious issue in our society when people go to such lengths on such an issue.
On a point of order, I believe that case is ongoing and I am not sure Senator O'Toole is correct to comment on it in the House.
I stand corrected. It is a very fair correction. I withdraw everything I said and will put it all on hold until the result is given.
The Senator cannot prejudge the situation.
On a more serious issue, we should all support the representations made by the Irish Cancer Society regarding the impacts of smoking on cancer. We should not be facilitating people who smoke to smoke more at the cost of their health and the public health as well as the cost to the health service. We should make representations to the Minister for Health and Children on that issue. Next week's budget should increase the excise duty on tobacco products for a variety of reasons some of which have been touched upon by Senator Fitzgerald.
While there is not an immediate rush on this matter, I would like a discussion in the House on the question of energy independence, to include when the Corrib gas field will come on line, how we can ensure it will come on line and the difficulties of being 95% exposed to foreign sources of energy. There is a lack of doctoral research in our third level institutions on alternative energy. They are now only being carried out in very few of our third level institutions. The Government should intervene to ensure that happens.
Next week the Government needs to deal with the crisis in the public finances and address the question of the deficit. I accept that is an urgent matter for it to attend to. We are all being conditioned to expect very serious decisions and very severe measures to be taken next week. I hope that in addition to a budgetary book-balancing accountancy exercise next week, we also have some real proposals — visionary proposals one would hope — from the Government on turning around the economic situation and getting people back to work, which is vital. It is a pity that policy seems to be so dominated across the board by the notion that if we fasten our seat belts and, as it were, keep our heads down and brace ourselves, things will improve internationally and when they do, everything here will be fine again. It is a pity if that is the extent of our policy making in this regard. We have a real opportunity to make decisions in this country about this country rather than simply deciding to sit back and wait in hope for the international crisis to pass.
I agree with what Senator Fitzgerald said about the Government's lamentable lack of serious engagement with the Opposition parties on the exercise that is going on at the moment. We in the Labour Party have had precisely the same problems that Senator Fitzgerald outlined Fine Gael had. That is clearly a decision the Government has made. We cannot change that decision. The Government has indicated that it will make the decisions. Of course it is a matter for the Government to make these decisions. When Government Members talk about engagement with the Opposition, whether on television, in these Houses or elsewhere, it is very difficult to take them seriously when the basic information is not being shared with the Opposition for it to participate meaningfully in this exercise. I characterised it a few weeks ago when the Minister for Finance initially said that he was inviting the Opposition to come forward as being akin to placing a suggestion box at the bottom of the stairs in Leinster House. That is as far as it has gone. It is that absurd. It has not gone any further.
This is further exemplified — Senator Fitzgerald could have made the point because it is a Fine Gael motion — by the Private Members' motion to be taken later today. Once again the Government amendment proposes to delete all words after "Seanad Éireann". Last week some Senators on the Government side said they agreed with some elements of the Fine Gael proposals.
We can debate it on the Adjournment.
I agree with some and disagree with others. However, the notion of deleting everything seems to take away any kind of serious debate.
We can debate it on the Adjournment.
I agree entirely with what has been said in respect of the price of cigarettes. Clearly there is a compelling argument that only a significant increase as pointed out by the Irish Cancer Society would encourage smokers to quit and discourage young people in particular from starting. That should certainly be addressed in the budget.
Will the Leader clarify for the House either today or some time soon the thinking of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in respect of his revival, as it has been described, of the Privacy Bill? His predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, indicated that this Bill would not be proceeded with unless and until the new mechanism set up under the Press Ombudsman or the Press Council would be given an opportunity to work. They made their report yesterday and, while the Minister attended the launch of that report, he said he was going to revive the Privacy Bill. However, precisely the opposite was said by his predecessor, namely, that this Bill would not be brought forward and that opportunity and space would be given to the Press Council and the Press Ombudsman to do their work. What exactly is going on in this regard?
I acknowledge that there have been a number of announcements this week by Government that fall squarely behind decisions taken on reports by previous Oireachtas committees, which vindicates the work of those committees. One such decision is bringing alcohol under the substance misuse strategy which will take over the national drugs strategy for 2009 to 2016. While I was Chair of the committee, we carried out a report on the inclusion of alcohol in the national substance misuse strategy. It is very heartening to see that the Minister has used the exact same phrase when bringing it before Cabinet and that the Cabinet has accepted it. I wish its advancement God speed.
Senator Wilson and I brought before this House another issue of concern. During the period when we were considering this report, we were in New Zealand where the big problem in regard to drugs at that time was the party pill. I acknowledge that the Minister brought this matter before Cabinet and it now effectively has been banned. I ask that we would ensure this ban is policed. I recognise that the matter was raised at committee, reports were made to the Minister and, on the back of that, there has been a reaction. Similarly, we drew up a report on cigarette smoking out of which came the smoking ban. What also came out was the issue of price being the biggest deterrent to smoking.
Will the Leader ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House to discuss a number of issues in regard to sentencing? I know we are supposed to keep away from issues that concern justice but, by the same token, there is a very strong need to consider the issue of sentencing, repeat offending and such issues.
The courts are independent.
I understand that. However, someone at some stage must stand back. We watched a programme last week which highlighted that cigarettes are being illegally imported into this country but a 13 cent fine was given for a major breach of the law. To have illegal cigarettes coming into the country and for an offender to get a 13 cent fine is wrong. Regardless of whether it is the role of the House, it is my role to say someone needs to examine sentencing, re-offending, the implementation of the Children Act, making parents responsible for juveniles who are out of home and the issue of who looks after people on curfew. Perhaps we should have a debate on the Garda reserve and the increasing role it could play in our policing needs.
I offer my sympathy and empathy to the family of Garda Robert McCallion, a native of Mayo with very strong Inishowen connections. He was mown down by a stolen car in the course of his duty and is fighting for his life. His family and gardaí deserve our thoughts and prayers at this particularly difficult time. We should be looking to strengthen the forces of law and sentencing.
I second Senator Fitzgerald's amendment to the Order of Business which calls on the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House to discuss her plans for the cystic fibrosis unit at St. Vincent's Hospital. There is a serious need for discussion on this issue because it is Government policy to not invest in the long-term development of the Irish health care service but instead to rely on the private sector to provide additional hospital beds and services. This has been Government policy since 2005 yet not a single bed has been added to the health service under this initiative. Therefore, the fact the Minister and Government policy state the Government will rely on the public sector for this development means it is unlikely to happen in the next four to five years. Such talk from the Minister in regard to the private sector is misleading patients who suffer from cystic fibrosis and who will die at an increased rate in this jurisdiction in comparison with patients in Northern Ireland. People there with cystic fibrosis live ten years longer than such people in the Republic, which says more than enough about our Celtic tiger.
I would like also if the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment were to come to the House to discuss the increased rate of unemployment, for which a number of Ministers bear responsibility. The Government response to the fact that 11% of the population is now unemployed and the Taoiseach's acknowledgement that this figure will increase rapidly require us to debate this issue urgently. In excess of 100,000 people will lose their jobs before we return after the summer recess, which is unprecedented in the history of this State. We need to wake up and ensure these matters are urgently debated in this House.
I thank the Cathaoirleach for accepting my matter for discussion on today's Adjournment. Members should come to the House this evening to hear the reply from the Minister for Health and Children in response to my question in regard to patients with cystic fibrosis.
That is a matter for the Adjournment.
If Members are really interested in the matter, they should come into the House this evening to listen to the debate.
(Interruptions).
I have listened to them for the past four years.
Senator White, without interruption, please. Senator White should make her remarks through the Chair.
Senator White should vote against the Government on this proposal. That would be far more useful.
During this time of recession, cash flow is the life blood and oxygen of companies and families. Companies and families cannot survive unless they have cash. I draw attention to ineptitude on the part of the State whereby the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is not paying employer redundancy rebates until six months after a person has been made redundant. Under the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 to 2003, a person on completion of two years in a job is entitled to two weeks' full pay tax free plus an extra week's bonus. A company is entitled to recoup 60% of the amount paid from the social insurance fund into which the company pays by way of employers' PRSI contributions.
People, unfortunately and sadly, are being made redundant. However, the Department is not paying employers——
Shame on it. The Government should be sacked.
——-the rebate which they are due.
Change the Government.
No interruptions, please.
I would like the Leader to invite the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Senator — Deputy Mary Coughlan——
Soon to be Senator Coughlan.
——to this House to discuss this issue and the economy. I cannot understand this. We hear every day of how Government expenditure is increasing and expanding because people are losing their jobs, resulting in a decrease for Government in terms of PRSI and VAT receipts and an increase in the number of people seeking social welfare payments. I would like to discuss with the Department why it is not paying these rebates.
The Senator should do so.
I feel like doing so.
The country needs Senator White.
Do the officials in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who generally speaking have permanent and pensionable positions——
Bring in the Minister.
If a company does not get the money it is owed, its cash flow is affected and this can result in further job losses in those companies. The situation is farcical.
The buck stops on the Minister's desk.
It is either incompetence, ineptitude or a deliberate act on the part of the Department in trying to manage its cash flow.
On the downgrading of Ireland's AAA credit rating by Standard & Poor's, which is a commercial firm and rating agency, Standard & Poor's was at the centre of the mess which caused the international financial collapse. It was among those rating firms and being paid for it by the firms they were rating. It joined the race to the bottom and, as a result, missed some of the toxic elements in the bundles being provided to international financial institutions. It was heavily involved in the mess involving sub-prime mortgages. I see Standard & Poor's as an essential element of the economic catastrophe facing America and the rest of the planet. It decided to amend Ireland's credit position by moving us away from our AAA rating. There might well be good grounds for that — I do not know. While I am not in a position to comment on that, I would have thought that it would have been intelligent for Standard & Poor's to have waited for the Government to make its budget day proposals before it popped out its little nose in this respect.
Hear, hear.
When I heard that Mr. Frank Gill, who is one of Standard & Poor's senior executives, was apparently suggesting that regime change was needed in Ireland, I thought it was an April fool's prank. It takes a hell of a cheek for someone from such a discredited agency to make such a comment.
Hear, hear.
I note that a serious interpretation was placed on the words of Standard & Poor's in the other House yesterday. I refer to the comments of Deputy Enda Kenny, who asked the Taoiseach if he agreed with Standard & Poor's "that there is no confidence in the Irish Government, that the Taoiseach has failed to deal with the economic challenges of the country, that he has presided over a disastrous banking system, that we have had a calamitous loss of competitiveness and that the Taoiseach should go". I do not think I have ever previously heard a senior representative of an international financial group calling for the removal from office of a democratically elected prime minister. While I have difficulties with some of the Government's policies, I understand that we need a certain amount of democracy. It is outrageous for a person from such a background to call for regime change, which is apparently what an official from Standard & Poor's has done. We need a fully independent and non-commercial rating agency. Perhaps it could be a function of the European Union.
When Senator John Paul Phelan and I previously raised the fate of the residents of Bethany House in Carlow, we were given various undertakings to the effect that the elderly and vulnerable people in question would not be disadvantaged or moved without consent. I was not the only person to argue that moving quite functional elderly people into a hospital where they would be bed-ridden for almost the entire day would be like imposing a sentence of death on them. We were assured that this would not happen without consent. I have in front of me signed forms making it clear that consent was not being given. I understand that ambulances started to arrive at the front door of Bethany House a few days ago to remove casualties. These were not casualties. These were unwilling elderly people who were forcibly removed from the nursing home. Will the Leader transmit to the Minister for Health and Children our continued interest in and our grave concern about this matter?
While he is doing that, he might inform the Minister, Deputy Harney, that I strongly support my colleagues who have appealed for urgent priority to be given to the cystic fibrosis patients who avail of the much-needed facility at St. Vincent's Hospital. I do not intend to reopen that debate now, as I have contributed to it on enough occasions in the past.
I agree with Senator Norris's comments on Standard & Poor's. It appears we are in a new economic war. On this occasion, the war is not with the English Government but with the English media and financial institutions. On 26 February last, I mentioned in this House that Sky News had reported that mismanagement in Allied Irish Banks, rather than Anglo Irish Bank, had caused frustration and brought about that day's one-day stoppage and strike. When I contacted Sky News to inform it of its error, the report was corrected in the next news bulletin. In that instance, Sky News was following up on a report in the previous day's Financial Times, which had said the exact same thing. I suggest that when a director of the European sovereign rating division of Standard & Poor’s, Mr. Gill, said there should be new faces in the Irish Government, he was calling for regime change in this country, in effect.
He was right.
He is not in a position to make such a call. That is the point.
On 19 January last, when Standard & Poor's——
The people will bring about regime change if the Government calls an election.
If Senator Daly is not allowed to continue without interruption, Members will be asked to leave the House.
If we want the next coalition Government to be formed by Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the International Monetary Fund, we can let them at it.
If the International Monetary Fund is brought in, it will be because of Fianna Fáil.
The new faces in government——
I have been making that point for the last couple of weeks.
The regime change that is coming from——
I will ask Senator Buttimer to leave if he interrupts again.
When Standard & Poor's downgraded Spain's credit rating from AAA to AA+ on 19 January last, it made no such call. On 14 January, when it did the same to Greece, it made no such call or interference in the political process or in the sovereign government. I call on the Leader to ensure every time a foreign media or financial institution attacks Ireland's reputation, the Government press office would stand up and fight back for Ireland's international reputation.
Senator Daly would do better to look at the policies that got us to this stage rather than trying——
A question to the Leader, please.
——to deflect attention from the fact the Government has performed so poorly.
Hear, hear.
A question to the Leader.
My colleague, Senator Alex White, referred to the fact that on budget day we want to hear from the Government some initiatives on job creation. Has the Government some initiatives to deal with the issue of what we will do with our graduates, which is becoming a significant problem? There simply are not placements or job opportunities for many of them. Their options are limited. I would like to see some form of innovation from the Government so that we do not end up in a situation where these graduates do not get to practice what they spent years learning.
I visited Cork Institute of Technology in recent days. It provides a course in renewable energy in which the Green Party, if its Senators were present, may have much interest. There are 35 or 36 students enrolled in it, only three of whom can find placement. How will they progress? There are all these initiatives on new forms of energy of which Senator O'Toole spoke. How can they progress when these companies are not even taking these students on, where there are no opportunities for them and none of them can find work?
I have encountered also a number of people working in information technology across a number of colleges who want to start businesses. Fair play to them. However, they cannot afford to do so in large urban areas because the start-up costs are so high. Many of them are from rural areas. We are all in favour of spatial planning and think it would be great to have companies in rural areas. However, especially with the new plans of the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, the only broadband capability with which they will be able to work will be social broadband. It will be broadband for Facebook and Bebo. It will not be broadband for starting companies because it will not be large enough, stable enough and substantial enough for them. I hope those are two areas the Government will address. If we are to get out of the quagmire we are in, these will have to be addressed.
Unfortunately, I must inform the House that from Monday next Nenagh and Ennis hospitals will lose their 24-hour accident and emergency services unless something changes in the near future. This is a disgrace. At this late date, I call on the Government to consider seriously reversing its policies on small, regional acute hospitals. It is a disgraceful strategy which is driven by consultants who are very well paid. It is orientated more around them than around patients. The money is not available to deliver on these strategies and I remind the Leader that numerous Ministers stated these strategies would not be put in place and these hospitals would not lose their services until the new buildings and facilities and all the new infrastructure was in place.
Point made.
We were promised a new accident and emergency wing in Limerick hospital. I drove by the hospital yesterday and I did not see it spring up. We were promised a new strategy on ambulances. Five times I have asked the Health Service Executive for its proposal on ambulances in the mid-west and it has not been able to inform me.
Point made.
It is a disgrace what it is doing to these regional hospitals and there will be many more under attack after Nenagh and Ennis. It is the people of rural Ireland who are being let down by the Government once more.
I welcome the roll-out of the home energy saving scheme by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan. In excess of 200,000 applicants have been approved and 700 contractors have been approved to carry out this work. It involves an allocation of approximately €50 million. Jobs will be created the length and breadth of the country as a result. I note our colleague, Senator Larry Butler, has been pushing for this for some time and it is becoming a reality. That is an example of we in this Government taking decisive action to create as many jobs as possible in the economy in rural areas. There will be a saving of approximately €700 per year to each householder because he or she has the insulation installed in his or her home. It is also being worked on in an efficient manner. People apply on-line, which is efficient. Work has begun and this is an indication of progress by the Government on schemes of this nature. A total of 94,000 inquiries have been made. I spoke to a contractor earlier and there was a pep in his step. Contractors are delighted with the Government for bringing forward this initiative to maintain and create jobs.
Will the Leader invite the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to come to the House to discuss this scheme and my proposal for the provision of hot water in 2,000 national schools? Only 18% of schools have running hot water and solar panels could be used to generate the energy to provide warm water in schools. Alternative energy projects could be used to deal with other issues in public buildings. The insulation scheme is one way forward and it is a tremendous indication of what we are doing in government. I welcome Fine Gael's proposals. It is about time the party came up with suggestions.
The Senator should look at the figures.
We are delighted to pick from them as best as we can and we will implement as many as we can.
Dream on.
That is ridiculous.
Senator Leyden is stirring it up.
It is about time he read our proposals.
Can the Senator understand them?
Yesterday I used my time well because the House was not sitting, through no fault of mine. I visited a manufacturing facility in Athlone where the workforce has reduced from 193 to 143. Staff sometimes work three days a week but company management is doing everything in its power to retain jobs. It is important to the managing director to keep jobs. Each lost job costs the Exchequer €20,000 a year. He spoke about the frustration he experiences because nobody is listening to people such as him on the ground. The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment should meet these people to find out what are the issues.
The most significant issue faced by the managing director of the facility I visited is energy costs. He depends entirely on the ESB for surges in power at various times during the day. He said nobody is listening and he is totally and utterly frustrated by county enterprise boards. Every proposal must be supported by a consultant before it is entertained. Why does this company need to retain a consultant when it has been in business for 30 years? Will the Leader investigate the exorbitant spending on consultants by State bodies and the issue of energy prices, which is costing jobs? A total of 371,000 people are unemployed and this number will escalate. There is no point in crying when the milk is spilt. Let us try to save existing jobs.
I raised the issue of cystic fibrosis recently. We lost a dear young man in Westmeath, aged 15, from this disease. On the day of his funeral, I was assured in the House by the Minister for Health and Children, who, unfortunately, is still in office, that an isolation facility would be provided for CF sufferers so that those who have this disease would not have to sit in a waiting room full of people with infections. The recent announcement makes absolutely no sense. There is no point in the Leader nodding. I feel strongly about this.
The Senator should wait until I reply.
One would think Senator Mary White was an Opposition Member the way she speaks out of both sides of her mouth.
She is multi-functional.
I love what she said and I agree with much of it but she repeatedly votes against the Opposition. I ask the Leader to resolve this issue.
Did Senator Leyden read that policy?
I join my colleague, Senator Keaveney, in welcoming the decision of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and the Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy, Deputy Curran, to ban the ‘party pill', BZP, yesterday under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1997. I call on the Leader to have a debate here on the national drugs strategy, with particular emphasis on the head shops that are springing up under various names in towns and villages all over the country. They facilitate the purchase of equipment that encourages the use of illegal drugs and substances. I call on the Leader to hold that debate urgently.
While I welcome the Government's decision to ban the party pill, we have a long way to go in respect of these shops. I compliment my colleagues, Senators McFadden and Keaveney, who, like me, have raised this issue here several times. I congratulate them on their work in bringing about this ban.
I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for a debate on the need to advance the promised isolation facilities for cystic fibrosis patients. No area of public expenditure is more important than the provision of such facilities. It is shocking to think that people in another part of this island might have better outcomes because we have not made the necessary investment here.
The Irish Hospice Foundation has been making the point that we should not neglect our health care buildings. If a patient in hospital accesses facilities of poorer quality than those available in a hotel, that is an indictment of our system. We know that is the reality. We must not take the foot off the pedal in reforming our hospital buildings. We need to reach a point where patients are in single bed wards. Many other changes are necessary too. Despite being in a difficult economic situation, we absolutely have to continue to plan for the future and improve hospital conditions soon.
I am very surprised that, while the Government is coy about aspects of the budget, it is willing to say what is not in the budget. I understand that the Minister ruled out adding €2 to the price of a packet of cigarettes. The argument is made that the tax would increase smuggling, but that is a matter of enforcement. We must not turn our backs on the need to enforce the law. I asked Combat Poverty this morning, at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, what it thinks of the proposal and it said that there is a regressive dimension to the idea because it might disproportionately affect poorer sections of the community. That can be addressed, however, by investing the revenue of €420 million in the community in cessation programmes and so on. I ask the Government not to be so quick to rule out a good idea that would generate revenue and carry a significant public health benefit.
The unemployment situation is becoming catastrophic, with jobs being lost every day. Some initiative must be taken in this regard. While we regularly talk about the economy here, we should allot the same amount of time to discussing unemployment. Among our unemployed are people from all walks of life, including accountants, architects and solicitors. The Minister should consider putting together a directory of the skills they offer. After she does that she should examine the €1 billion spent on FÁS and take some of that money away because such people do not need upskilling but job creation. Jobs could be created by the entrepreneurship of two to five of these people getting together and creating a way forward out of the unemployment situation the country now faces.
I suggest we do this regularly in the House and that a plan be put in place to deal with the situation. Not only does it cost a fortune to have people unemployed but the people I describe have significant ability to create wealth. This is one way to do it. We could dovetail these people into the smart economy and into different businesses that require further people on their books. There are still some jobs available but we do not know how to dovetail the people with the jobs. For argument's sake, if we took it to its full conclusion and created a proper directory using technology, we could find out what kinds of jobs are available in Australia, New Zealand or Canada instead of having skilled people going there only to discover there are no jobs for them in those countries.
The Department of Social and Family Affairs should take initiatives such as this. When one considers that €21 billion is involved, it is time for us to put some money into ensuring we have an initiative for these people who do not want to be unemployed.
I join other speakers in condemning the Government. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Health and Children to the House to discuss the tragic situation of cystic fibrosis patients. The Leader's Government appears to have lost its moral compass, as exemplified by the Minister's U-turn decision on the matter.
I ask for a debate on the economy, to include the unemployment and employment figures that concern our fellow citizens. I would love to take Senator Mary White by the hand and bring her over to the Department. I would love to be there when she talks to its officials because it now seems to be Government policy that——
Questions to the Leader, please.
I am coming to the question. It now seems to be Government policy to blame the officials. Senator Daly blames the media. However, last weekend the magazine section of The Sunday Times carried a very good analytical piece on the Irish economy and Irish banking institutions. It did not blame the Government but condemned it on its policy and lack of regulation. Has the Government now abdicated its role in governing and is it now apportioning blame to the civil servants, the spin doctors and the media? Does the Leader concur with this viewpoint, namely, that it is not the Government’s fault but rather that of all the people I mentioned?
Might the House have a debate on sport, as a matter of urgency? I raised this matter on numerous occasions. The Gaelic Players Association had a briefing today with Members of both Houses. The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism has abandoned the sports capital programme and there is internal rivalry between the Irish Sports Council and the Olympic Council of Ireland. It is desirable, therefore, that we would have a debate on sport as a matter of urgency.
I ask the Leader for a debate on the economy, with specific reference to competitiveness. This week Standard & Poor's commented on the Government and on Irish finances, awarding a downgrade of our AAA status. I am conscious also that the same agency gave AAA ratings to the very item that almost brought about the collapse of the world economies, namely, sub-prime lending. In light of that and because of its interference in a local and national issue, I suggest that Standard & Poor's has gone from being reliable to being very unstable.
I ask for a debate on the possibility of including an increase of up to €2 on the price of cigarettes. I am particularly cognisant of the fact there are also possibilities in the area of drink where if minimum pricing orders were to be simultaneously implemented in the North and here, it would cut out any of the cross-Border smuggling but would give both areas an opportunity to gain significant revenue with added health benefits to the community.
I do not understand why we always get into a huff when any international body or agency calls a spade a spade——
Hear, hear.
The reality is the Standard & Poor's re-rating of the credit worthiness of this country is already reflected in the market. It is simply res ipsa loquitur, the facts speak for themselves. The slip of the tongue or otherwise where their representative suggested that this country needed a change of Government, change of face, change of Ministers, again simply reflects internationally the lack of domestic credibility of this Government. This emerges from the facts where the Government has been floundering since this whole issue arose——
Members, please. There is a phone making noise somewhere in the House.
I am pleased to say my phone is turned off.
I understand, Senator Regan; I am not implying it is your phone. No Member should have a phone turned on in this Chamber, end of story.
I mentioned last week that as long ago as 2001, when the European Commission gave the first signal that Ireland's economy——
Whoever has a phone or a BlackBerry in the House, I ask him or her to please turn it off immediately. The staff are trying to record the proceedings and it is not good enough and neither is it fair to them.
I suggest they should be banned altogether.
That is what will be done. I apologise to Senator Regan as it is not his fault.
I will be brief. The first time the European Commission issued a warning to the Government was back in 2001 with regard to the budget of that year when Charlie McCreevy was Minister for Finance. Again we got into a huff. The Commission told us then that the spending of the Government, despite the surplus in our public finances, was unsustainable and again we rejected that because we knew better. We should not be so sensitive when Standard & Poor's gives the rating which is reflected in the market and draws a fairly logical conclusion from it.
It is the refrain not only of Senator Terry Leyden but also of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance and various Ministers, that when they are criticised about their economic management of this economy, they say, "Well, what would you do? What are your proposals? You have no proposals." The Opposition has come up with proposals over the past year, starting last July when Deputy Richard Bruton and Fine Gael came up with the programme for recovery through reform.
We have gone over time.
I just want to make this point because it is very important.
The Senator should ask the Leader a question.
This is a specific question for the Leader. Fine Gael made proposals of how to save €2 billion when we were asked. The Minister asked for pre-budget submissions or views from the Opposition and Deputy Richard Bruton and Fine Gael have done so today. This is a unique, specific, Fine Gael perspective on the public finances. I ask the Leader to confirm that the Opposition has engaged and Fine Gael has engaged with the Government by coming up with alternative economic strategies. It is about time in this House and in the other House, that the Government engages with the Opposition and acknowledges that it is sucking ideas from the Opposition, relying on the Opposition for ideas and it should acknowledge the merit of those ideas for managing the economy.
We have gone over time. Some people were here from the very start and indicated but I have been unable to call them.
I did not think I would have an opportunity to speak.
I want to ask the Leader for a debate on censorship and freedom of expression, not in the context of the debate we have been having recently about the Government's gross over-reaction to the satirical portrait of the Taoiseach, although I share the concern of many about the heavy-handed tactics of the Garda Síochána in investigating where no criminal offence, it seems to me, had been made out.
I want to ask for a debate on a different aspect of censorship, one of growing concern to a large number of people in this country, although it has gone under the radar politically, that is the censorship imposed by Internet service providers on their customers, even when they are accessing websites that are not illegal and not in the context of any criminal offence. This is in the wake of a High Court case which was settled in January in which Eircom agreed to take the e-mail addresses of its subscribers from record companies which alleged that those subscribers had been accessing certain websites where they could download music. Eircom agreed to do this on the basis of a "three strikes and you are out" principle, whereby it would remove its subscribers from their subscription thereby ending their Internet access if they were found to be accessing certain sites. There is much concern about this and last week the European Parliament adopted by an enormous majority a report rejecting this sort of surveillance and the idea that there should be penalties for this sort of thing. In the context of what we saw with Google in China, we must be very wary of the sort of censorship Internet service providers are being asked or in some cases are agreeing to impose on their subscribers. I ask for a debate on this important topic.
I welcome the Lancet’s debunking of the Pope’s outrageous claim that condoms do not prevent the transmission of HIV worldwide. It is important that claim is debunked. The Pope did not even have the excuse of April fool’s day in making what was a very serious false claim.
I call for a debate on the taxi regulator's report and particularly the Goodbody report. There is an insufficient number of taxi ranks and spaces throughout the country. The number of taxi licences is at saturation point. Taxi drivers have sought a moratorium for a number of years to let the market settle, and that is a reasonable request. Drivers are being asked to work much longer hours to make a reasonable living for their families and that is unacceptable and unsafe. I call for an urgent debate on this report and I hope we will have it soon.
I call the Leader to reply to the Order of Business.
Will the Leader respond to No. 8 and provide Government time for it? He will understand the urgency as I had a word with him about it outside the Chamber.
I have called the Leader to reply.
Senators Fitzgerald, O'Toole, Alex White, Twomey, Mary White, McFadden, Mullen and Buttimer expressed their strong views on inviting the Minister for Health and Children to the House regarding cystic fibrosis sufferers and on the Minister and the Department providing buildings and services for patients. I agree with all the sentiments expressed today on having the necessary investment put in place. Yesterday I heard the Minister on the radio explaining very strongly and forcefully her commitment to doing whatever she possibly can, particularly given the strict economic climate in which we find ourselves. I saw Ms Orla Tinsley on television and I, too, believe that we should do everything we possibly can to assist. I fully support the calls made here today and I will pass them on to the Minister after the Order of Business.
Senator Fitzgerald called for an update on the events of this week. I will come back to the Senator on that after the Order of Business. Senators Keaveney, Hanafin and Norris joined Senators Fitzgerald, O'Toole and Alex White on increasing the price of cigarettes in the budget and introducing smuggling deterrents. I agree with the sentiments expressed and will pass on the Senators' strong views, particularly regarding sentencing. The point made to the House was that sentencing makes a farce of the law. There is no fear of the law and we must address this as a matter of urgency.
I will pass to the Minister Senator O'Toole's views on equality matters. Senator O'Toole also spoke on energy independence and said we are in an ideal position to source our energy, being an island economy. Senator Leyden called on the Minister regarding the matters she outlined to the House. We are in an ideal position to sell our energy, whether wind or any other form. Many colleagues, including Senator Butler, who is a pioneer on these matters, referred to this.
Senator Alex White asked for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform's views on the Privacy Bill. The Privacy Bill will be before the House this year and we can discuss and deliberate on the merits and demerits of it when it comes to the House. Senator Keaveney spoke on substance misuse, the strategy in the committee report, which has been brought to the Minister's attention and which has received support. Senators Wilson, Keaveney and McFadden spoke out very strongly on the party pill. Senator Wilson referred to the committee report and the drug strategy report. I congratulate the committee on all the good work it has done on this. I suggest in future, to get value for money for the taxpayer, instead of paying millions of euro to consultants, the committee system is used as it has been proven to be most successful. Members of both Houses who come from various professions are the experts in terms of the membership of those committees. They are answerable to the public and the taxpayer for the advice they give to Departments and Ministers. I see no need for consultants in future once we go through the committee system. The committee system gives the best value for money and in terms of accountability. I strongly congratulate the committees on the report, which has been welcomed here by members of those committees and by colleagues who have worked hard to bring forward this report and get the Department's support for it.
I join in the comments of Senator Keaveney on Garda Robert McCallion who had an unfortunate, dreadful accident. He is fighting for his life and we wish him well and send him our best wishes for a speedy recovery. Senators Twomey and Butler called on the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to come to the House regarding job creation and to discuss where the best value for money can be got for the €1 billion that is being spent through FÁS. Senator Butler is a captain of industry with wide experience in this area. The strength of the Seanad is highlighted by the amount of expertise available to the Government, Departments and Ministers from those who have been in positions to advise and make recommendations to the House. It has been said here that the smart economy is one where jobs will be in the future. However €1 billion is a huge amount of money to be spent and I have given an undertaking to the House to have an all-day debate in the very near future on job creation and the €1 billion budget for FÁS.
Senators Mary White, McFadden and Buttimer expressed their concerns about employment. Senator Mary White referred to cash flows and the fact that it takes up to six months to recover money from the Department for those who are being let go — up to 60%, we are told, must be returned to employers. In times of difficulty we have to see what we can do in this regard. Senators Norris, Daly, Hanafin and Regan spoke about Standard & Poor's. Senator Regan made his usual marvellous contribution. I wish him luck as a substitute in the European Parliament. I was there for 25 years and I hope he is luckier than I was.
The Senator got a few trips out of it, no doubt.
Some would say the proceedings of this House would be enhanced if Senator Regan went to Europe. If we took the advice in 2001 of the very reputable Standard & Poor's, what would have happened in terms of the 7% growth we had in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007?
What has happened to it now?
The Leader should note the price we are paying for it now.
The Government squandered the boom.
It is a catastrophe.
Was the Senator producing the Gay Byrne Show at that time?
The Leader has missed the point.
Allow the Leader to reply to the Order of Business.
I need the Cathaoirleach's protection.
The Government has not learned a lesson.
We were the envy of Europe and of the world.
Look at the price we paid for it.
The Leader should tell that to the 371,000 who are unemployed.
It is a mirage now.
Those of us who were Members of this House were honest enough to acknowledge the partners who made it all possible. Senator O'Toole, who played a leading role, can enlighten some new Members on the Opposition benches over a cup of tea——
The Leader should not forget that 371,000 are now unemployed.
——of the importance of what was achieved at that time.
Almost 400,000 are unemployed; that is some legacy.
Allow the Leader to continue.
Having said all that, any fair-minded, reasonable and responsible commentator would have to acknowledge that what was said in this instance was a slip of tongue. I agree with Senator Regan that this gentlemen, with his viewpoint, interfered, no matter what his connection might have been to one particular party on the island of Ireland at the particular time.
That is a new spin.
The Leader is playing a blinder.
Regardless of what suggestions colleagues make, they will be seriously considered. I give that commitment. I want to hear all their views, perhaps by 5 p.m. tomorrow. If they have any up-to-date ones, I would welcome them. Otherwise the Fine Gael Members should hold them for their Ard-Fheis and try to enlighten the people. We will see then if they will be entertained as much as I have been on the Order of Business on some days by the comments that have been made.
A Senator
It is the Leader who is entertaining.
Allow the Leader to reply to the Order of Business without interruption.
I fully support Senator Norris's view concerning the residents of Bethany House in Carlow. No one would wish what has happened in this instance to happen to a family member. I will pass on the Senator's view and ascertain the up-to-date position.
Senator Kelly raised the issue of job creation. I have taken his views on board. I am uplifted by the announcement of the investment by our nearest neighbours in Intel of €1 billion in job creation. It is surely one of the greatest companies in the world at present. Its investment of a further billion euro in Ireland is a huge vote of confidence in our smart economy of the future.
Senators
Hear, hear.
I must acknowledge that on the Order of Business.
Regarding Senator Kelly's view of the Health Service Executive, we have requested the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House from time to time to discuss and deliberate on such matters.
Senator Leyden congratulated the Minister with responsibility for energy — remarks with which I want to be associated — on the 700 new contractors who will be engaged in the new energy saving schemes and on the €50 million that will invested in them. It will assist small contractors in particular to retain their one, two or three anchor people in employment, whether they be carpenters, plumbers or electricians, who have been loyal to them over the years and long may that continue.
This issue was raised previously by Senator Butler and it was pointed out that 94,000 inquiries have been made about these schemes. That shows there is a commitment to avail of the opportunity to apply for them. I hope the number who do so will increase.
Senator McFadden raised the issue of energy costs and I agree with her sentiments. However, I welcome the announcement of the €600 million interconnector project from Wales which will of major assistance to us here. It will result in a further reduction of 10% in energy costs within the next three years. On the day I took over as Leader of this House I said that reducing energy costs must be our challenge and that lack of competitiveness was our enemy. I am not satisfied with the reduction in energy costs of Bord Gáis or the ESB in terms of facilitating job creation. Any place that provides employment, whether it be a factory floor or a hotel, should receive the same reductions in energy costs as those that have been received by domestic users. Those suppliers are fooling us because they are not reducing energy costs in places of employment which facilitate job creation. I call on parties on all sides of the House to use their influence, including at the Fine Gael Ard-Fheis at the weekend, to highlight this issue concerning places of employment. The ESB and Bord Gáis are not playing their part.
Will the Leader make a guest appearance at it? He might take up that offer.
Senator Buttimer supported the GPA and the players. We all met the stars in Buswells Hotel today and we fully support them. They are role models for future generations and for young people in terms of keeping alive our Gaelic games. They are an example to everyone and I was delighted to meet those young men today who are making a major contribution to the Gaelic Athletic Association. I fully support them.
Senator Bacik called for a debate on the media. I look forward to such a debate taking place. I am delighted to be able to confirm we have no difficulty whatever in that regard. We should have a debate once a month in the House on the subject. I will avail of the opportunity to put it in the diary as soon as possible.
Senator Cummins called for an urgent debate on the current plight of taximen. One's heart would go out when one sees the rows of taxis outside establishments waiting for hours to try to get one fare. This is an urgent matter and I will allow a debate on it at the earliest opportunity.
Senator Fitzgerald has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That a debate with the Minister for Health and Children on the plans for the provision of specific accommodation for cystic fibrosis patients at St. Vincent's Hospital be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?
Amendment put.
The Seanad divided: Tá, 23; Níl, 29.
Tá
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Bradford, Paul.
- Burke, Paddy.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Cannon, Ciaran.
- Coffey, Paudie.
- Coghlan, Paul.
- Cummins, Maurice.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Hannigan, Dominic.
- Kelly, Alan.
- McFadden, Nicky.
- Mullen, Rónán.
- Norris, David.
- O’Reilly, Joe.
- O’Toole, Joe.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Quinn, Feargal.
- Regan, Eugene.
- Ross, Shane.
- Twomey, Liam.
- White, Alex.
Níl
- Boyle, Dan.
- Brady, Martin.
- Butler, Larry.
- Callanan, Peter.
- Callely, Ivor.
- Carty, John.
- Cassidy, Donie.
- Corrigan, Maria.
- Daly, Mark.
- de Búrca, Déirdre.
- Ellis, John.
- Feeney, Geraldine.
- Glynn, Camillus.
- Hanafin, John.
- Keaveney, Cecilia.
- Kett, Tony.
- Leyden, Terry.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- McDonald, Lisa.
- Ó Domhnaill, Brian.
- Ó Murchú, Labhrás.
- O’Brien, Francis.
- O’Donovan, Denis.
- O’Malley, Fiona.
- O’Sullivan, Ned.
- Ormonde, Ann.
- Phelan, Kieran.
- Walsh, Jim.
- Wilson, Diarmuid.
Tellers: Tá, Senators Maurice Cummins and Nicky McFadden; Níl, Senators Diarmuid Wilson and Camillus Glynn.
Amendment declared lost.
Order of Business agreed to.