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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Friday, 16 Dec 2011

Vol. 212 No. 8

Order of Business

The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on recent developments in the eurozone and the European Council summit, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and conclude not later than 12.30 p.m., with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, and those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be called on to reply not later than 12.25 p.m.

As this is the final Order of Business of the year, I thank the Cathaoirleach and his staff, the Clerk, Ms Deirdre Lane, the Clerk Assistant, Ms Jody Blake, Ms Rachel Breen, Ms Bernadette Constantine, Ms Aisling Harte and my private secretary, Ms Orla Murray, as it is they who ensure that the House ticks over and we are all on our best behaviour. I also thank the Superintendent, the Captain of the Guard and the ushers who are so helpful and courteous to Members at all times.

I wish Members and their families a happy Christmas and a peaceful new year. I am sure we will all return to the House after the recess with renewed vigour and ready to tackle whatever we will face.

There have been some low points in the Seanad this year but there have also been a number of highlights. Two of those highlights were the visits of Dr. Maurice Manning and the former President, Mrs. Mary Robinson. With the exception of the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, every Minister has come before the House. In addition, time was made available for most of the debates requested. I hope that will continue to be the position in the new year. I again wish everyone a happy and holy Christmas and a very peaceful new year.

The Leader will be pleased to hear that the Fianna Fáil Senators will be supporting the Order of Business this morning. On their behalf I thank him for the efficient manner in which he has carried on the business of the House since he assumed office after the election. He has brought great dignity to his office and has enhanced the status of the House considerably during his time as Leader. I assure him that those on this side will continue to support his efforts to consolidate the status of this Seanad going forward. I wish the Leader and his family a very happy Christmas.

I also extend warmest wishes, thanks and my appreciation to the leaders of the various groups. They and the newly elected Members have all imposed their own individuality on the proceedings of the House. The creation of a new Independent grouping comprising the Taoiseach's nominees has enhanced the value of the House. The contributions of the members of that group, which is led by Senator van Turnhout, have also added considerably to the stature of the Seanad.

I extend best wishes to the Captain of the Guard, the Superintendent, the ushers and the Cathaoirleach. There must be something in the gene pool of the Fine Gael Party because the unflappable way in which the Cathaoirleach carries out his duties has impressed everyone. Those of us who have known him for a long time are not at all surprised that he has brought to his high constitutional office the same dignity he displayed when serving as Leas-Chathaoirleach for a number of years. I wish him and his family a very happy Christmas.

I thank Deirdre, Jody and all the staff who keep the House running so efficiently. They are the unsung heroes of this institution. They have ensured that the business of the House has been carried out in an efficient manner and they have provided newer Senators with the assistance they have required in respect of our procedures, etc., to allow them to navigate the difficult early months of their time here. I thank them for all they do.

I was going to thank the journalists who cover events in the Seanad. I will, however, limit myself to thanking the journalist——

The one and only.

——Ronan McGreevy of The Irish Times who, following in the proud tradition established by Jimmy Walsh, writes reports on our proceedings. I am sure we all hope that in the new year the media will focus a little more on the work done by this House. I have a real concern that if the latter does not happen, there will continue to be a lack of empathy among members of the public in respect of what this House does, the constitutional role it plays and its important place within the parliamentary structure. I am deeply concerned that in a constitutional referendum on the Seanad, the electorate would make its decision without being in possession of all the necessary information. However, that is a matter for another day. Perhaps the large cohort of political journalists who circulate around this complex and who tend to focus their attention almost exclusively on the Lower House might, on occasion, come to this Chamber not only to write colour pieces — which are very amusing in their way — but also to report on the important business we do here.

I extend my plea in this regard to RTE, which covers the proceedings in Leinster House in its "Oireachtas Report" programme. I am sure Members will have noticed the lack of proportion in RTE's coverage of the Houses of Parliament. That coverage conveys a message to the effect that if important work is not done in the Dáil Chamber, then it is carried out by the committees. This House continues to do its business and to discharge its constitutional responsibilities. In that context, I appeal to RTE to display a greater degree of balance with regard to the time it devotes to the business of this House. Members will agree that more happens in the Seanad than just the Order of Business. It is rare, if ever, that one will see coverage of this House's legislative role on "Oireachtas Report".

I hope I have not forgotten to mention anyone. I wish everyone a happy, holy and peaceful Christmas. Like the Leader, I hope Members will return, renewed and reinvigorated, for the new session in 2012. I thank the Cathaoirleach for indulging me on this, the final day of the current session. There is a song which begins with the line "Oh the weather outside is frightful". I ask that everyone spare a thought for those who are homeless this Christmas and for those who are without hope because of the economic situation in which we unfortunately find ourselves. We should also spare a thought for families that are going to be struggling this Christmas.

The final comment I wish to make takes the form of a patriotic rallying cry and it echoes what Senator Colm Burke stated earlier in the week. I hope that when they go out to spend their hard-earned money during the final week of the pre-Christmas shopping period, those who are listening and watching will consider that each time they purchase an Irish-madeproduct, they are saving a job. To everyone present I say, Nollaig Shona dhaoibh go léir.

I join the Leader and Senator Mooney in wishing everyone a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year. I thank all the staff, particularly Deirdre and Jody, the ushers and those who keep Leinster House running so smoothly and who make it such a pleasant place in which to work for everything they do.

Like Senator Mooney, I extend best wishes to the leaders of the various groups and to all other Members. I thank the Leader, Senator Cummins, for the unflappability he has demonstrated during the past year. Much like the Cathaoirleach, the Leader is extremely calm under pressure. In the seven and a half months or so since the 24th Seanad came into being, he has really tried to run the House much more smoothly and efficiently. He has also tried to ensure that it operates with greater effectiveness and in a more democratic fashion. There have been tremendous highlights in that regard, and a number of changes introduced in respect of the procedures of the Seanad have greatly improved the way it operates. The Leader referred to the addresses delivered here by Dr. Maurice Manning and Mrs. Mary Robinson. My particular highlights for this year centre, however, on the process relating to the Seanad Public Consultation Committee and the presentations made to that committee by many different NGOs and advocacy groups in respect of the rights of older people. I was particularly taken by the presentations from two experts who came before us to discuss the rights of older people. The process to which I refer is really the start of something very important the Seanad can do in the context of making a meaningful contribution to changing Irish life for the better. I look forward to the committee's report being published in the new year.

I thank the Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach for all they have done in ensuring that the Seanad runs so smoothly. I look forward very much to the new year when Members will,I believe, return to the House rejuvenated and refreshed. Senator Mooney expressed a wish that those in the media should focus on the Seanad. I suspect they will do so in the new year——

For all the wrong reasons.

——when the continued existence of the House will be a matter for public debate. We will have to be on our mettle in that regard. We will be obliged to build on both the changes that have been introduced and the improvements that have been made in respect of our procedures. In that context, the question and answer sessions with Ministers are a major improvement on the old system whereby everyone just made statements. In the new year we will develop and expand upon the changes that have already been made.

I echo Senator Mooney's comments about the homeless and those who find themselves in economic difficulties. I wish everyone a very happy Christmas and I hope to see everyone, refreshed and rejuvenated, in the new year.

This is obviously a day of unity in the Seanad and I wholeheartedly endorse the sentiments expressed by Senators Cummins, Mooney and Bacik. On 20 May last, I received an unexpected telephone call. When watching the proceedings of the Seanad last year, I could never have imagined that I would be in this Chamber with my colleagues today. I thank everyone for assisting newer Members and for making them so welcome. Even though I have had differences of opinion with colleagues, they have still taken the time to inform me how I might navigate the system. I appreciate the way in which we have been able to work together on many issues.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for keeping me on track. The Leader, Senator Cummins, has been a source of wisdom and has assisted me in finding my way in my new role.

I thank the staff — Deirdre, Jodie and all the team — and the ushers. The staff in the Bills Office have been a source of great help to me, as have the staff throughout Leinster House, and one does not always see that from the outside. On the inside, however, people can have principled differences and the good moments have been when we have worked together. The bad moments have been when we personalised issues but I hope in the new year we can have principled arguments and robust debates of which there have been many highlights in this session in the Seanad. I thank the library and research staff also who could not be more helpful to us all.

There is talk of referendums. In the new year I would like us to talk more of referendums, in particular the children's rights referendum. Last week, Senator O'Donovan called on the Leader to have a debate on child protection and the Leader will look to do that at the earliest opportunity. I would like us to have that debate in the framework of children's rights because we often talk only of child protection in terms of cocooning a child but we know that 92.7% of abusers are known to the child and their families. They are either family members or people in authority and therefore we must ensure that children have a voice and that their rights are upheld. I endorse the call made by Senator O'Donovan last week and urge that we give adequate consideration to a debate on a referendum on children's rights.

I, too, am privileged to be standing here as a Member of this House. I think of those who are homeless and most vulnerable. We must strive harder in the new year to find ways through this crisis. We must give hope and provide a way forward for Ireland. We are in this together and on that note I wish everybody a very happy Christmas. I hope we come back rejuvenated and re-energised so that we can make a difference.

I join in the general good wishes of my colleagues. There used to be a radio programme on the BBC where people were fined for repetition; therefore, I will not repeat all the good wishes to the members of staff but from my heart I join in them, and I hope they know that.

I have been a Member of this House for a quarter of a century and I have enjoyed every moment of it. I believe I can say with some small degree of authority, simply because of the number of years I have been here, that the three named officers of Seanad Éireann are quite the best we have had in that quarter of a century. The Cathaoirleach, whom I have watched with admiration as Leas-Cathaorleach, the Leader of the House, Senator Cummins, and the leader of Fianna Fáil, Senator O'Brien, are outstanding people, as is the leader of Sinn Féin and the new and welcome Independent Group. As I said at the beginning of this session, it showed remarkable vision on the part of the Taoiseach to nominate such genuinely independent people who have made the most forceful contribution from that section of the House that I can remember.

I am glad the Order of Business today will not be divisive; I take it that means we will not have a vote. I very much welcome that. I would hate to miss a vote for I am determined to attend the Royal Irish Academy to be present when Professor William Schabas is presented with the gold medal of the RIAC. This is a man who has added enormously to our understanding of human rights, both nationally and internationally, through his work in University College Galway.

I wish to make two other points. On a sombre note, it is clear from the words of world leaders in recent days that we are, if we are not careful, on the brink of a world economic collapse. Things are very difficult and for that reason I echo what Senator Mooney said about caring for the homeless. That should be a major priority.

Over many years in this House I spoke out against upward only rent reviews. It is madness. The main international retailers are pulling out of our high streets because of that, and it is being fought by investment funds. Are they mad? Do they not realise that if they drive people out of business they will get no rents at all? Those people should live in the real world.

It was with great sadness I heard reports today of the difficulties in which Clerys department store finds itself. This is an iconic store and an iconic building. It was one of the first purpose built department stores in the world and I hope, as a Dubliner and a northsider, that when people are shopping they will think of Clerys, Arnotts and such stores and the employment they provide.

I welcome the arrests that have been made in the tragic case of Daniel McAnaspie. As the person who introduced the guardian ad litem clause into the child care Bill a number of years ago, I would regret if this should be used as camouflage to prevent the family of DanielMcAnaspie getting access to papers. That was not the intention. The intention, and I speak as the person who authored that amendment, was to safeguard the rights and the welfare of children and not to prevent the families having an opportunity, particularly in a sad case of murder, representing the best interests of the child. I suppose happy Christmas is the final comment I should make.

I join colleagues in thanking the hard-working staff in Leinster House who have made it easy for all of us new Senators to slot into the organisation and for the fantastic courtesy we receive from everybody in the House. I marvel at the volumes of work the Seanad team process each day and the long hours they work. I have spoken to many people about the family unfriendly nature of Leinster House for so many people but despite all the pressures, everybody seems to conduct their affairs in a friendly and co-operative manner.

I very much appreciate the friendship that has developed among all the Members of this House. Despite clashing with Members on political issues from time to time, it has not damaged personal friendships in any way. Those of us who are new to the House very much appreciate that.

The Leader was singled out for mention earlier. The many innovative ideas that are developing in this House are to be welcomed, and the Leader is to be applauded for that. The public consultation committee that has been established is a great initiative that I hope to see built on during the coming year.

We have many challenges to face in 2012 including rising unemployment. The difficulties facing business, and particularly small business and retail, is a major issue. Homelessness was referred to earlier. One of the most distressing sights for all of us is to walk the streets of Dublin late at night and see the numbers of people who are begging on the streets or trying to find shelter in doorways. As a civilised society that is something we cannot allow continue and we must prioritise it as an issue for 2012.

I appeal to Members of the other House who, as a publicity stunt, are urging people to break the law. I ask them to reflect on that over Christmas. People are elected to the Houses of the Oireachtas to make legislation and while we might not always agree with what happens, there is a duty on us to uphold the law once it is passed. I ask those nine Members to reflect in the calm of Christmas on the decision they have made. It is not in the best interests of the country or of democracy, and I hope they have a change of heart on that issue.

I join others in wishing each and every Member a happy and peaceful Christmas but, above all, a very healthy new year. I hope we will all be here fit and healthy on this day 12 months.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his courtesy as my boss in this House. I would like to thank the real pistons of the engine of operation, Jody and Deirdre, all the staff, my colleagues and the Leader in particular. I have said it before that Senator Maurice Cummins has brought a new style to this House. With a new boat or ship, there is a great danger in opening up the throttle too much early on. One case in point was the Titanic. It was a new vessel and there was a race for time, and instead of taking it a little easier on the throttle, they hit the famous iceberg. That is history.

Is the Senator saying we are on Titanic?

I was using it in a different way.

Thanks be to God.

The lesson to be learned is that this Seanad is only at half throttle after seven months. We have a lot more to give. When we come back in the new year, we should avoid the icebergs but we should open up the throttle a little bit more. It is my fourth term as a Member of the Seanad and it is one of the finest I have seen. There is a lot more to give in this Seanad. Under the stewardship of Senator Cummins, that can be achieved.

Yesterday, I rang an elderly lady to wish her a happy Christmas. I did not want to send her a Christmas card because someone very close to her committed suicide last year. It brought a tear to my eye when she asked me how she could face Christmas. If there is anything we could do in the new year, we should focus on that ghost disease that is out there. It is in all our communities and touches many families. Unfortunately, it is those who are left behind who have to suffer, not alone this Christmas, but maybe for a long time. Perhaps in the new year we could have a holistic debate on this area. Unfortunately, Irish society has traditionally swept this under the carpet. The more open we are, the more we can engage with people, and that would be worth it if we saved only ten lives. The numbers this year are coming close to 700. We have reduced deaths on the roads considerably to fewer than 200 this year. My plea to all Members is that we make some progress in this area. Having regular debates every three or four months might assist people to be aware of and sensitive to the unfortunate issue that is a blight on our society. We are often very selfish, thinking about our property and our money. The greatest negative equity in life is the loss of life.

It has indeed been a challenging and interesting year. My car keys were locked in my office. I have been locked out of Leinster House. I lost my way around the car park of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Several ushers repaired a puncture for me in the car park, while ushers also bought me milk late at night when I could not find a cup of tea. I echo the thanks that others have given here today for helping with all the small dilemmas, not to mind the large ones. The courtesy extended to me over the months has been enormous and patient. I do not know what they were saying when I finished with my various problems, but everybody has been very helpful to me.

As the Whip of the Labour Party in the Seanad, I particularly thank Senator Paul Coghlan, who has been very supportive to me as I found my way around the responsibilities of that role. I will disregard some of the names that have been attached to the Senator and to me.

I thank the Leader, Senator Cummins. He has been very patient and willing to take on board all the various suggestions we have made. He has tried to introduce them in the interests of better business in the House and a more active and engaged House. I also thank the leader of the Labour Party in the Seanad, Senator Bacik, who has been a tremendous inspiration and has been an extremely hard-working leader on behalf of our group.

On behalf of the Seanad, perhaps we might congratulate those people who we know have been nominated for Golden Globe awards. I spoke at length on the legislation for the Irish Film Board. At that time, I spoke about my uncle, Tom Cooper from Killarney, and now we have Michael Fassbender, born in Germany but who grew up in Killarney, finding himself in the company of people like George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio in the running for an award. In terms of music, we have Sinéad O'Connor and Brian Byrne, while Brendan Gleeson, who I enjoyed watching many years ago when he started on the stage in Dublin, is yet again upholding great standards for Irish acting and drama. I would like the Leader to find a moment, on behalf of all of us, to send the congratulations of the Seanad because our culture and our film industry are held dear by many in this House. We should collectively send our best wishes to those who have worked very hard and who fly the flag for Irish drama and culture across the world.

I wish everybody a happy and peaceful Christmas and echo some of the remarks made by Senator O'Donovan about those who find Christmas particularly difficult. Our thoughts are with those who find this period a little more challenging. I look forward to seeing everybody in 2012.

On behalf of the Sinn Féin Party, I extend my appreciation to the Captain of the Guard, the ushers, the clerks of the Seanad, all the staff, the group leaders and all Members for their support. I would also like to single out the Leader of the House who has given my party tremendous support since we have come in here, in spite of some early turbulence in trying to get speaking time. Through negotiation with the Leader and with the support of all the group leaders, we were successful in at least getting some speaking time. A compromise was reached, which is what politics is all about. I extend my deep appreciation to the Leader, who is also a Waterford man. I knew when Maurice was appointed to the position——

That explains everything.

I try to mention Waterford every day on the Order of Business, so that is my opportunity today.

One of the good new departures of the Seanad has been the public consultation process. We should focus on two issues early next year through that process. The first is dealing with poverty. Many Members have spoken about homeless people and people who will have a very troubling time over the Christmas period and beyond. We all know that, unfortunately, many families live in poverty. On a number of occasions, we have called for policies to be poverty proofed. We could invite in all of those groups who advocate on behalf of people who live in poverty. We need to ensure we do everything we can in this House to highlight the fact that many people are being left behind. I hope the Leader accepts this.

Over the course of many months I have raised the issue of the struggling small retail sector. Many small shops may not be open any more by January and February of next year. We all talk to retailers and some of them are saying that they will get over this Christmas, but many will not be able to open their doors after January due to the current economic situation. These are two issues that this House could focus on next year.

I would like to finish by wishing all Members a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.

I join in the words of congratulations, thanks and best wishes to all of my colleagues, the Cathaoirleach, the Leader, all of the party leaders and all of the staff who contribute so much to the running of our House of the Oireachtas. Senator O'Donovan mentioned Titanic and 2012 will see our House more like an aircraft carrier with nuclear capacity, and those who might have certain plans for us could find such a ship can be a dangerous weapon. We have an interesting 12 months ahead and I hope people will focus on the big political issues. I concur with what the previous speaker stated about the very effective use to date of the public consultation committee and the possibility of using such a committee to deal with matters such as broader poverty issues and other issues which affect many throughout society.

When we reflect we always mention the lack of media. Life is neither perfect nor fair but we must be thankful to those who deem the Seanad worthy of consideration. To those not reflecting on the Seanad at present, if they look at the two Houses of the Oireachtas which exist in the building, because of the numbers, every vote and debate in Dáil Éireann is predictable. The Seanad is the House for anyone interested in genuine political debate where one does not know at the beginning how it will conclude. I hope the media will pay more attention to this House where such quality debate occurs.

Like Senator Norris, I first attended the House in the spring of 1987. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. The qualities and foundations of the Seanad existed then. These are debate and consideration and genuine political discourse. They are still at the very core of the House, and we need to reflect and build on them. I look forward to dealing with my colleagues on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, and with the support of Senators not on the CPP we will be able to examine items such as the Order of Business to try to ensure we get about our business more effectively and get to substantive debate on which Senators have opinions to give. There is certainly room for improvement in how we manage ourselves. This is a challenge for us and it is not a case of "we" versus "you"; all of us must work together. Early in the new year we can work on making this a more effective House from the perspective of getting debates under way and putting subjects on the agenda.

Like everyone else, I join in sending best wishes for the coming holidays, Christmas and the new year. I thank the Cathaoirleach, the Leader, Senator Maurice Cummins and my colleague from Kerry, Senator Paul Coghlan, for their courtesy. No doubt Senator Coghlan and I will have more debates on NAMA in the new year. I also thank my party leader in the Seanad, Senator Darragh O'Brien, and our Whip, Senator Diarmuid Wilson. Being an Opposition Whip is not an easy job when one is beaten 2:1 but I know our day will come and some bright and breezy day we will get you. You can mark my words on that.

To all Independent Senators and new Senators it is quite daunting to come here and try to find one's way not only physically around the building as Senator O'Keeffe pointed out, but also to find one's way through the procedure maze. Deirdre, Jody and all the staff have quite a job minding us and keeping us in line. We will return in 2012 and I am sure our finest hour is yet to come. When the arguments are made for and against the retention or abolition of the House, Members will articulate not only why it should be retained, but also why it, like the other House, needs to be reformed in order that all the people can be better served by their elected public officials.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that No. 12 be taken as the first item of business. This is to introduce, by leave of the House, a Bill on the Order Paper.

Chomh maith leis na Seanadóirí eile, ba mhaith liom beannachtaí na Nollag a ghuí ar gach Seanadóir, agus mo chomhgairdeas agus buíochas a ghabháil leat, a Chathaoirligh, as an obair iontach atáá dhéanmah agat sa Chathaoir.

Ba mhaith liom dá ndéanfadh Seanadóirí smaoineamh i rith na Nollag ar an chinneadh atá déanta fáil réidh le scéim labhairt na Gaeilge. D'aontaigh tuismitheoirí leis an chinneadh seo mar nach raibh an scéim ag obair, ach caithfear rud éigin eile a chur ina háit. Táim buartha faoi na deacrachtaí agus faoi na fadhbanna atá ag tuismitheoirí sa lá atá inniu ann an Ghaeilge a chothú imeasc na bpáistí. Tá sé iontach deacair. Caithfimid amharc air seo san athbhliain. Tá sé ráite leis na blianta go bhfuil an Ghaeilge i mbaol, agus tá sí. Tá sí i mbaol báis.

Caithfear díospóireacht a dhéanamh san athbhliain ar an straitéis 20 bliain. Caithfear amharc ar an gceist seo i ndáiríre. Is é an Seanad an áit chun an jab seo a dhéanamh.

Guim Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise ar gach duine. I join with my colleagues in extending Christmas wishes to everybody here. I thank the Cathaoirleach for his very judicious choice of Leas-Chathaoirleach and Acting Chairmen, who are in the same tradition of himself in their courtesy and fairness. I also thank the Leader. This House could not operate without the wonderful work of the Clerk, and Deirdre and Jody deserve our thanks.

I came to the House for the first time in May, and from the front gate through it is one of the friendliest and most courteous places one could possibly visit. It is a wonderful start for us when we come here to legislate. I visited Stormont shortly after my election and I am glad to see that parliamentary democracy is thriving throughout the island, even after having started from such a unpropitious place. It is important that the people outside who sent us here retain confidence in our ability to help the country through this very difficult period. I am sure we will live up to all their hopes.

Like Senator O'Keeffe and others, I remember the happy occasions during the year, such as the innovations introduced by the Leader, and we will support him in all of these. In the city, the Dubs finally achieved a long overdue honour. The Irish cricket team had success in beating England, which is always welcome in any sport and is pretty unusual in cricket. Many north Dubliners played a huge part in this and as recently as last weekend Fionnuala Britton won the European cross-country championship. Other events which occurred during the year of which we should be proud include the splendid inauguration of President Michael D. Higgins. I do not think I heard singers sing so well in Dublin Castle. It was a wonderful occasion. There was also the visit of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, which accomplished so much. I am sure in her Christmas message Ireland will feature because that visit was long overdue and it made her and Irish people so happy. President Obama returned to inspect his roots in Moneygall and we also wish him well in the new year.

On a sad note, I agree with speakers' comments about suicide, particularly at Christmas and over the new year. One of my colleagues in Trinity College Dublin, John Harbison, the former State pathologist, reminded me many times that in his house the Christmas festivities had to be put on hold because he had to go to work on tragedies in other families. These were cases of suicide by people who had finally lost all hope. This is a feature we need to address.

On the basis of the past five or six months, I am convinced this House will play a notable and noble role in turning this country around. I thank all Senators who have laid a foundation. The cliché that the best is yet to come is true for this House and in 2012 we will astonish the people with what we can accomplish.

I would like to be associated with the good wishes and compliments to the Cathaoirleach, the leaders of various groups and all Members. There has been enormous goodwill despite the differences of opinion, which must be expressed on a daily basis. This morning, the Labour Party Whip, Senator Susan O'Keeffe, reminded us of her relationship to Tom Cooper, the great Killarney man. Films are in the news and Tom was the pioneer in filming. I refer Members to "The Dawn", which he directed and in which he played a leading role. He filmed extensively in Killarney and Kerry and Killarney always films well. Members have admired its beauty and majesty in many documentaries and other promotional works they have seen on screen. So many Irish films are doing well and I hope they will do well in the award ceremonies in the coming week.

The Golden Globes are in January.

Of course, Senator Mooney is an expert on all of that.

Not really, I am just a film fan.

Tom Cooper was a great man and did great work for Ireland. He was a pioneer and, as we are back in there with Michael Fassbender, I hope we will go on to better things in the film world. I thank the Opposition Whip, Senator Diarmuid Wilson, who always greets me in the morning when I inquire how things look for the day. He refers me to the foreign office but that is our joke. I am grateful to Members for the wonderful co-operation and I have no doubt everything will continue in the new year and we will make further improvements to how we do business in this Chamber.

I support the appreciation by my colleagues of everyone but, after the savage budget, the Members do not realise how the public feel about politicians and the Government. People are very disillusioned with the latest budget. The elephant in the room is the unemployment rate in the country, which is 14.6% and rising all the time. Some 32% of young men between 20 and 24 years of age are unemployed and 110 people are leaving this country every day. There is no doubt that we will be under the radar in the coming months. I would like if the Leader could make the issue of employment the number one priority in this House. As Senator Mooney said, we should be active in getting media interest in this House. People are saying that we are disconnected from the people, that we are too long in the Oireachtas and that we do not have a clue what it is like to be outside. A colleague of mine works in Aviva and is responsible for 27 people. She told me about a 50-year-old man about to be let go who have fears about whether they will get another job. On a weekly basis we should hit the radar and make it a priority in order that we get the Government to take measures to create employment.

There was no big vision in the budget and it was very hurtful to those who are disadvantaged. I do not know why the Minister for Finance has an article of faith that we will not increase income tax. I know thousands of people in this country who are true republicans and are willing to pay more income tax so that people at the lower level are not deprived, hungry or distressed because of their financial situation. Unemployment is a source of major mental stress on families. I ask that we all work together and that the Leader puts pressure on his colleagues in government so that we have an agenda for creating employment. The Leader should keep saying the figures up there. The unemployment rate is 14.6% and 110 people are leaving the country every day. We must let the public know that we are not immune to their pain. I formally second Senator Daly's amendment.

I will not continue in a political vein after Senator White's contribution, I will revert to the conciliatory tone and congratulate all Members who have helped me as a new Senator and all of the staff. I will not name names because I am sure I would leave out some important names. I refer to staff, leaders, Whips, Senators and everyone who has helped me to lead the way and to follow Standing Orders. Spending 20 years in council politics gave me a grounding and in my first week I thought that this Chamber was very like the council. Everyone talks about the standard of debate in the Seanad, which is very high, and we have much more to do. We could do more to raise the standard of debate, particularly by banning the Order of Business, which I suggested in my third week here.

Senator Keane changed her mind about that subsequently.

I still agree with it but I did not receive the support. It is the only element covered by "Oireachtas Report" but if it was not covered, the legislative side in the afternoon might be covered and we would have more bodies on seats. We are here for legislation. We would also have better debate and better input. I am not criticising people because I and other Members listen to debates on monitors but the fact that it is being televised on UPC means that the many empty seats are a bad reflection on the House. A few people tune in, including political hacks.

The Dáil is not much different.

I am not saying that it is. I am saying that we must change.

Déanaim comhgairdeas leis an Seanadóir D'Arcy a bhí ag caint mar gheall ar an teanga Gaeilge. Déanaim comhgairdeas, chomh maith, leis an Seanadóir Ó Clochartaigh as an éacht atá déanta aige ó tháinig sé isteach sa Teach. Is as Conamara é agus tá Gaeilge líofa aige. Nuair a bhí an Bille Rialtais Áitiúil (Muirear Teaghlaigh) á phlé againn ba i nGaeilge ar fad a pléadh an Bille, mar tá neart Gaeilge ag an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Fergus O'Dowd. Molaim an tAire Stáit as a chuid Gaeilge chomh maith. I nGaeilge ar fad a pléadh an Dara Céim den mBille. Taimid ag déanamh iarracht agus molaim gach uile dhuine as an iarracht a déantar mar gheall ar sin.

I congratulate all the individuals, particularly the women, involved in sport who have been mentioned. Women are coming to the fore in sport and all the plaudits have been given to them. As my party's spokesperson on the environment, I look forward to debating the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill and discussing the role of women in politics. It will be a robust debate. I have changed my mind on the issue of gender quotas in the same way as Mr. Michael McDowell has changed his mind about the Seanad which he initially wanted to see abolished, as he argued it was a crèche for failed politicians.

He admitted he was wrong.

I also admit I was wrong, as for 18 years I was totally against against gender quotas. However, I have come full circle. I look forward to the Bill being brought before the House in the new year and I am sure it will be robustly debated.

What an interesting Seanad session this has been. Next February, please God, I will have been a Member of the House for 19 years. I note how well the new Senators have settled in and participated in this Seanad. They have been helped no end by the Cathaoirleach and the Leader of the House, among others. On my first visit to Leinster House in February 1993 I was shown around by a former Senator from County Kerry Mr. Tom Fitzgerald. The same evening I received a telephone call from Mr. Gordon Wilson who said he had just been appointed and would love if somebody showed him around, which I did after a period of 24 hours, which is indicative of the expertise one may acquire in the House.

Another memory of proceedings this year is the number of votes, which has kept me very fit. My office is quite a distance away from the Chamber and when I first came here 19 years ago, the university Senators were located in Kildare House. It took us a few years to be given new offices. I remember on the day I moved to my new office I met Senator David Norris who said we were in the basement. When I went to the Superintendent to get the key to my new office, I asked him if it was located in the basement. He told me it was not and I remember thinking I had got one up on Senator Norris, but then the Superintendent told me it was on the lower ground floor, next to that of the Senator.

I will mention not only the Superintendent but also the Captain of the Guard who was taken ill the other day. Our thoughts go out to him. I mention everybody else employed here. I was made welcome from the first day I arrived. Everybody else has expressed similar sentiments. We deal with the Seanad Office staff, the ushers — I know I am now in danger of leaving people out — as well as the porters and others who help us no end during the year. We can do a lot more work in such an atmosphere, to which the team and the Cathaoirleach have contributed.

As Senators Mary White and Denis O'Donovan mentioned, our thoughts go out to those who face other challenges. Today my mind is on a sector to which Senator David Cullinane referred, the retail business. I would love to think that in the new year we will pay it some attention to see if we can act on the matter. Some of the news reported in the newspapers today is not good and does not only relate to small business as some very big businesses are also affected. We should ensure we help in some way.

This morning I gave an interview on Radio Kerry. I listened to the commercial advertisements which showcased some enthusiastic and determined retailers in County Kerry who might have been located in Tralee, Killarney and Killorglin. It is clear that many people around the country are looking to act on their own and not asking the Government to do it all. There are success stories. There is a lesson for us in this, as we can prove, with professionalism, determination and enthusiasm, that this House has great ability and a great success rate. We should, therefore, ensure we win the battle in the next year not by begging or looking for favours but through our own work. We must be able to earn own survival because we are worth it.

I join others in acknowledging the welcome I have received as a new Senator. I have been overwhelmed by what has happened in the past six months. In ways it has been tough, as it can be difficult to switch off in politics. One can be totally consumed and overwhelmed by the process and that is how I felt for a little while. Overall, however, it has been a positive experience and I feel privileged to be here. I was elected against the odds and it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I thank the staff of the House, the Cathaoirleach, the Leader and the Whips, as well as my fellow Senators on all sides of the House who have been very supportive.

On Senator Mary White's comments on job creation, the arts and culture, as well as tourism and the retail sector, are potential growth areas. A number of weeks ago Senator Michael Mullins suggested that we organise a think tank here which would operate in a positive and constructive fashion; however, it should not be a talking shop. I believe the Leader is arranging something along these lines. We could issue a report on its findings in the new year, with a particular emphasis on the retail sector, the arts, tourism and other areas which people would to see highlighted. While it is not difficult to be negative in the current climate because people are suffering, we must nevertheless find a way to spiral upwards in our thoughts and formulate positive suggestions.

I wish everybody a happy Christmas.

Ba mhaith liom aontú leis na Seanadóirí a bhí ag moladh Michael Fassbender agus Brendan Gleeson ó thaobh an éachta atá déanta acu ainmniúcháin a fháil le haghaidh na Golden Globes. Creidim go bhfuil scannán beag Éireannach —"Pentecost", le Peter McDonald — taréis ainmniúcháin a fháil ar an ngearrliosta le haghaidh na Oscars. Déanaim comhghairdeas leo uilig. Tá súil agam go ndéanfaidh siad an gearrliosta. B'fhéidir nach bhfuil a fhios ag daoine gur Gaeilgeoir paiteanta é Brendan Gleeson, chomh maith le bheith ina aisteoir paiteanta. Brendan Gleeson is also a fantastic Irish speaker as well as being a great actor.

The Irish language has been mentioned. I commend all those colleagues who have made a great effort as gaeilge, as it is an issue on which the Seanad can make a significant difference. It can show gur feidir an Ghaeilge a úsáid ag gach leibhéal. If anybody has not made his or her new year's resolution list, if the cúpla focal were used after Christmas, it would make a difference. I know from speaking to people in the Irish language community that they listen and take note agus go háirithe i gcás na díospóireachta a luaigh an Seanadóir Uí Catháin. Chuaigh úsáid na Gaeilge sa chás sin i bhfeidhm go láidir ar phobal na Gaeilge. Is rud an-tábhachtach é sin.

I also extend good wishes and thanks to all those Members and staff mentioned. I will single out a number of staff who may have been skipped over unintentionally. Tá daoine éigin amuigh ansin ag aistriú gach focal a bhíonn a rá againn i nGaeilge go Béarla. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis na daoine sin atá ar an taobh eile de na micreafóin, ag suí agus ag fanacht go labhróimíd cúpla focal Gaeilge ionas gur féidir leagan Béarla a chur orthu. I thank the translators. I also thank the poor people in the Debates Office who must take notes and decipher what we say as Béarla agus as Gaeilge. It is a particularly difficult role. I also thank those involved in the audio and communications element. If it were not for them, none of us would be on "Oireachtas Report". The one group we might have skipped without which we would not be able to continue is the catering staff. I particularly thank them for the wonderful way they treat us.

Even those in the big fancy restaurant, as some Members called it.

We only hang out in the cafeteria, but the food is equally good in it. Sin é. On a more serious note, ba mhaith liom Nollaig shona a ghuí ar gach duine. Tá súil agam go dtiocfaimid ar ais slán an bhliain seo chugainn. It will not be a Nollaig shona, as has been mentioned. I second the call by my colleague, Senator Cullinane. After Christmas, one of the debates we should have is on poverty. We had a good debate with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, on the issue and we agreed that we should revisit it. We should examine how poverty is affecting people in this country, who it is affecting and what we can do to alleviate it. That is an important issue. Nollaig shona daoibh go léir. Ta súil agam go bhfeicfimid a chéile arís tar éis na Nollag, go dtiocfaidh sibh slán agus go dtiocfaidh Santy agaibh ar fad, agus mar sin de.

I thank all for their contributions in the past eight months. I thank the leaders of all of the groups for the constructive manner in which debates have been conducted.

I wish to refer to democracy. It is easy to criticise how we do our business, but we should value the fact that we have a good democratic system in this country. I accept there may need to be changes but let us compare our situation to that of a country I visited where the Government enjoyed the support of only 2% of the population because it controlled the country by the use of arms. From a European point of view, this day 70 years ago all the young people in Europe were in trenches facing one another in a war. In the first 50 years of the previous century, more than 67 million people died in two world wars. Now one can travel from the Dingle Peninsula to the Russian border without fear of conflict. That is because the democratic system has been developed and has grown. It is about working together. We might criticise what Europe does but we all have a part to play. We should note that there are 80 million people in the European Union under 14 years of age. That is the population for whom we are now working in real terms. It is important that we preserve the democratic system, appreciate it and continue to improve it. We all have a part to play.

When I became lord mayor of Cork city in 2003 one of the things I decided to do was to visit every one of the 102 schools in the city. I decided to do something different and went to Kenya for a week. In that year — 2003 — free primary education was introduced there for the first time. A total of 1.7 million turned up for school for the first time. I went to hospitals which had no electricity or water supply yet they were able to carry out 2,500 operations a year. We have a good democratic system in this country and good services. We must continue to improve and grow them. I accept we have a problem with unemployment. We can tackle those issues and we have a duty to do so. It is important that we do it in a constructive way and achieve a positive result for all of the people in this country. Let us appreciate the democratic system we have here, the system that has been built up in Europe and the achievements we have brought about in a short period. I wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a very peaceful 2012.

I wish to say a big "go raibh maith agat" to Senator Ó Clochartaigh. He has been an inspiration to all of us in terms of the Irish language, to such a degree that I now have my own Irish tutor. Perhaps sometime in 2012 I will make a contribution as Gaeilge on the Order of Business.

I do not wish to say a great deal this morning because I am sure at this stage the staff are probably sick of listening to us. I wish you, a Chathaoirligh, the staff in the Seanad office, staff in Leinster House, the Leader and all of my colleagues across the floor a very happy, peaceful and safe Christmas. In the past six months we have made an extremely valuable contribution to democracy in terms of the many suggestions from all sides of the House on how to tackle the extreme difficulties in which this country finds itself. As Senator Colm Burke rightly pointed out, we have it far better than many of our fellow citizens throughout the world. That said, our responsibility is to ensure we make this country a great place to live and that everyone has the right to work, the opportunity to better himself or herself through education and to have a roof over his or her head.

The most distressing thing I have seen since I came to the House is a homeless person sleeping across the street from the Kildare Street entrance to the House. He has been there every day since I came to the House. That person has been homeless in all the time since I came to Leinster House. We have a duty of care and a responsibility to ensure we alleviate such absolute poverty. There is no reason or excuse for it. We are a wealthy nation and the people who can afford to pay must pay to ensure that those who do not have the same opportunities at least get some sort of dignity and quality of life. The year 2012 will be a challenging one. We will have enormous opportunity but as elected representatives we have a responsibility to chart the future of this country as best we can. I wish everyone a safe journey. I will see them all in 2012.

I add my words of greeting and blessings to everyone in this House — to you, a Cathaoirligh, the Seanad staff and clerks, and to all my fellow Senators in this House. We soldier together here. We have our battles but, ultimately, we are all present with the intention to do our best by the country and the people, be it at Government level, party level or individual level. We must always keep in mind that we are here at the behest of people and out of service to our country. The coming year will be a test for our country. It will be also a test for us in the Seanad and it will be a test for democracy. We have fallen on hard times because we are measuring ourselves against a benchmark that we thought we could always maintain but we have had to change our view in that regard. I thank Senator Colm Burke for reminding us of what we have. We have a great deal. If we just changed the lenses through which we look at the country, the world and our own lot, we would realise we can still do much for ourselves.

On that note, I congratulate the local community where I was born. It just won the "golden mile". It is a place called Lakeview, Moylough, County Galway. It is a heritage mile. It is a special heritage project whereby all of the historic projects have been mapped within one mile of the gate of the house where I was born. I heard late last night that it won the "golden mile". The community has done that for itself and I applaud those involved. If every one of us finds something unique to which we can contribute, we will redefine ourselves as a people. I wish everyone a happy Christmas. It is good to see the smiles again this morning after some late nights.

There is an old Irish saying that the nearest to the church is the farthest from God. I wish to put on record my sincere appreciation and good wishes to my friend and esteemed colleague, the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Denis O'Donovan, whom I grievously omitted in acknowledging, who brings a quiet dignity to the Chair.

I join Members of the House in thanking the staff, Deirdre, Jody and the staff of the Seanad for the tremendous work they have done in the past 12 months. I also wish a happy Christmas to the Captain of the Guard who took ill during the week, the Superintendent, the head ushers, Noel Kelly and Tom McGrath, and to all of the ushers in the House. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his co-operation and courtesy and the acting Chairs for their great work in keeping the House going during the year. I thank all involved in the press and the television coverage this House receives. I thank the Bills Office, the reporting staff, the Library and Research Service and the sound recording staff. They are the people behind the scenes who make the Houses of the Oireachtas so effective and get it across to the community at large. I wish the Leader of the House and Members a very happy and safe Christmas. I hope to see them all early in 2012.

The festive season has certainly arrived in the House. I thank Members for their kind words. I will be brief in replying to the Order of Business because I know the Minister of State, Deputy Creighton, is waiting to come in.

A number of serious items were raised by Members on the Order of Business. With regard to child protection and children's rights, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs will be in the House to discuss that issue early in the new year.

The issue of rent reviews and difficulties in the retail sector, including Clerys depart-ment store, was raised by a number of Members. We will arrange a debate on it in the newyear.

We join in congratulating the Irish Golden Globe nominees and salute all the sporting heroes who have been mentioned throughout the year.

I support the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Mark Daly to allow the Corporate Manslaughter Bill to be printed.

The Seanad Public Consultation Committee has been mentioned. It was agreed by the committee that its next area for discussion would be lifestyle and cancer prevention and awareness. That is what we will focus on in the next term.

The Irish language was mentioned. I compliment all Senators who use Irish. It was particularly pleasing to have all speakers who took part in the debate on Second Stage of the Local Government (Household Charge) Bill speaking in Irish. It was one of the highlights of the session.

Unemployment and the jobs situation are of paramount importance. With regard to the think tank for Members, I hope we will have a debate on this subject in the second sitting week of January. As suggested, a Minister will not be present in order that Members can exchange ideas over a number of hours and discuss the issue.

Like others, I wish the Captain of the Guard a speedy return to good health.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach mentioned depression, mental illness and suicide. We will discuss those issues early in the new year. The Minister has agreed to discuss them in the House.

The plight of the homeless has been highlighted. More must be done and more will be done in this area. I ask neighbours to pay a visit, over the festive season, to those who are elderly or live alone.

It has been said that the best is yet to come in this House. Let us ensure that will be the case in the new year.

The Leader has indicated he is prepared to accept the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Mark Daly, "That No. 12 be taken before No. 1."

Amendment agreed to.
Order of Business, as amended, agreed to.
Barr
Roinn