The Order of Business is No. 1, Finance Bill 2012 (Certified Money Bill) — Second Stage, to be taken at 2 p.m. and conclude not later than 5 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 4.45 p.m.; No. 2, Clotting Factor Concentrates and Other Biological Products Bill 2012 — all Stages, to be taken at 7 p.m. and conclude not later than 8.30 p.m., with the contributions on Second Stage of group spokespersons not to exceed six minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed four minutes and the Minister to be given ten minutes to reply, and with Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately after Second Stage; and No. 20, Private Members’ business, motion No. 8, to be taken at 5 p.m. and conclude not later than 7 p.m.
Order of Business
The Deputy Leader will have informed the Leader that there was no Minister present to hear our Private Members' motion last Wednesday. All sides of the House agreed this was a very unwelcome departure and not good enough. Has the Leader had a response from the Chief Whip or the Taoiseach's office in regard to this? Can he confirm to me and my colleagues on all sides of the House that this will not recur? While I look forward to debating the Private Members' motion this evening, I would like to hear an update on what occurred last week.
We are to take Second Stage of the Finance Bill today and the debate tomorrow is to be open-ended, which I welcome. We ask that the Leader facilitate us, as he has done with other Bills, to allow us to table recommendations until 10 a.m. tomorrow. We need to hear what the Minister has to say in the House today. Will the Leader facilitate us? We insist that we be given adequate time to respond to Second Stage.
I asked the week before last about the pyrite committee the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, set up on 15 September 2011. Up to 72,500 houses, predominantly on the east coast, could be affected by the pyrite problem. How many times has the committee met? When does the Government expect to receive a report from it? Every week that the problem continues to feature and action is delayed, an increasing number of people will be statutorily barred as the statute of limitations applies only for six years. HomeBond has washed its hands of the matter. I intend to raise this matter regularly.
The Leader and all fair-minded colleagues across the House will agree that the Government's management of the household charge has been a debacle. Fair-minded members of Government parties, such as Deputy John Deasy and Deputy Ciarán Lynch, have called it a fiasco. I agree with them. We have said so. The legislation was rushed. There is a court challenge over the fact that, once again, legislation is not being translated into the first official language, Irish. With regard to the public information campaign, the first radio advertisements were last week. The low rate of payment of the charge among the public is not just because people do not want to pay it; it is also because they do not know how to pay it. Last week, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government said he would allow payment at post offices but that will not be the case now. Anyone looking at this with a cold eye would say the whole manner in which the Government has gone about collecting the household charge has been nothing short of pathetic.
The Minister's public utterances, unlike some of his private utterances on golf courses in Connemara which we will not go into today, on the household charge have left me with no confidence that the Department can manage this. I want to hear directly from the Minister as to whether he will allow an extension of the payment date. To help him out of this bunker, he should extend the payment deadline to the end of April. Accordingly, I am proposing an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Minster for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, attend the House to advise the Seanad on his proposals to ensure there will be as much compliance with the household charge as possible. I must remind the Government that we tabled a series of exemptions which were all defeated. The charge has turned into a fiasco.
Is the Senator proposing an amendment to the Order of Business?
I am proposing an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minster for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, attend the House to answer if he will extend the final date of payment of the household charge to the end of April, to explain why a public information campaign on the charge has been such an abject failure and why hundreds of thousands people still do not know how to pay this charge.
In my capacity last week as Deputy Leader and further to my promise to the House then, I did write to the Taoiseach about the concerns expressed by Members on both sides about the delays in making progress on the problem of mortgage arrears. He and the Tánaiste spoke publicly about their concerns at the lack of progress and delays in this area at the end of last week. I hope our letter had some impact.
On Thursday of last week, I wrote to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste in strong terms expressing my concern that no Minister could be found to deal with two hours of Private Members' business in the Seanad. I also expressed concern that the business of the Seanad was not treated with respect. I am awaiting a response to the letter. I assure colleagues it was taken seriously on this side of the House as well. It was a most regrettable occurrence that a Minister was not available and Private Members' business had to be deferred. The Leader and I will take all the steps to ensure it does not happen again.
Today is the United Nations day for the elimination of racial discrimination. I commend the work of all the different groups that have come together from civic society to form the NGO Alliance Against Racism. I had the privilege of speaking at its conference on racism yesterday and hearing some its members speak to the justice committee earlier. It has prepared an excellent report on monitoring Ireland's international commitments against racial discrimination and has raised several issues with us as legislators which would be worth debating in this House. I call, therefore, for a debate on the report and how best to ensure our civil and criminal laws are compliant with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. In particular, we need to review our laws on sentencing to ensure racism can be officially seen as an aggravating factor in sentencing which it is currently not.
We also need to debate, perhaps in advance of the legislation, the proposed merger of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission. This is being approached with some apprehension by many of the NGOs working in the area. There is a real concern that the merged body would retain the powers and functions that both bodies had previously, as well as ensuring sufficient staffing and resources are provided for the new merged body. It is also important we ensure it is independent in its functioning and accountable to the Oireachtas rather than to the Minister or the Executive. A general debate would be helpful on the infrastructure to provide for greater equality and how best we tackle racial discrimination which is a real occurrence on the streets across Ireland.
I welcome the adoption by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva last Thursday of the report of the working group on Ireland's universal periodic review, UPR. During the review on 6 October last, UN member states made 127 recommendations to Ireland concerning our human rights record. As the Leader knows, I noted on the Order of Business before that the Government immediately accepted 26 recommendations, was unable to support 15 and undertook to further examine 50. On Thursday's adoption, His Excellency, the permanent representative to the United Nations, Gerard Corr, announced that of the 50 pending recommendations, the Government had fully accepted 29, partially accepted one and was unable to accept four. In total, Ireland has made a commitment before our UN peers to implement either fully or partially 108 of the 127 recommendations.
I applaud Ireland's civil society organisations for their valuable and committed engagement to the UPR process and commend their representatives who spoke so eloquently at the adoption of the working group report. I welcome the permanent representative's announcement that he will publish a voluntary interim progress report on implementation in October 2013.
As this first cycle of the UPR comes to a close, the process does not end. We now embark upon the second, and the most important, cycle, the implementation of the recommendations. For that reason, I call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, to provide the House with information on how the Government is planning to implement the recommendations and the structures that will be put in place at national level to ensure effective implementation. The House has a role to play in monitoring and ensuring Ireland upholds its UN obligations.
In light of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill debate in the House last week, the commitment made by the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and the vote that took place, will the Leader call on the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, to bring in a system of vouched expenses for the party leaders' allowance without delay?
First, I would like to let Members know that tomorrow I will be formally seeking permission to move the Privacy Bill which will be taken in my Private Members' time this day week. It will be an important debate in which I hope Members will take part and research areas where people's privacy has been invaded.
As somebody technically classified as elderly, I want to dissociate myself totally from remarks attributed to a spokesperson for Friends of the Elderly in the past day who said transition year was self-indulgent, should be scrapped and young people were not entitled to self-realisation or self-fulfilment. Yes, they are. I have seen what transition year has done for young people. I have spoken in schools where sometimes the parents were concerned their children might just fool around or be misused on it. I recall well in Clonakilty in how transition year students isolated an effulgence of seaweed and turned a problem into a positive outcome. It is an offence to me as a so-called elderly person that some middle-aged man should presume to tell young people that they are self-indulgent and not entitled to self-realisation and self-fulfilment. I am totally on their side as I have worked with Friends of the Elderly and Age Concern for many years. If they want to do something useful, they should ensure every service is available to people who do not use computers. There is a real discrimination that those who do not use computers are not allowed to get aeroplane tickets but they are allowed pay the new household charge, I think.
It is total madness that we are proposing to destroy an extremely significant record of genetic material contained in the heel-prick cards from infants. There are over 1 million of these cards which carry genetic information. I am all in favour of an opt-out clause but why are we destroying the entire collection? It is utter stupidity and bureaucracy gone mad. If necessary, we should pass retrospective legislation. I usually do not agree with it but in this case who knows what diseases may be prevented or cured? Other countries such as New Zealand have done this. However, we were not prepared once again and it is the fault of the law-makers that we were not.
If it is agreeable, I second my colleague, Senator O'Brien's motion on the household charge. I want the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, to attend the House to explain the blackmail. I have not received a leaflet yet. Maybe it is because I live in Dublin 1 in what he probably regards as a slum. There was a problem printing the leaflets. If they were his election leaflets, there would not have been as much of a problem printing or distributing them.
That is for sure.
He should have got Deputy Ó Snodaigh to do them.
It is extraordinary. We are told that councils will accept payment, yet when citizens try to pay, they are told that there is no machinery for accepting the money.
The Senator can make these points when the Minister attends.
I just wonder whether the pigs have started to run the farm. It appears that we are in a chaotic situation.
I will end on a serious note and support strongly my friend and colleague, Senator Bacik. We fought against the forced combination of some organisations that fought for human rights. We fought against the extinction of the Combat Poverty Agency. We have a way to go in terms of racism. Holding the debate that the Senator called for would be excellent. I hope the Government side allows it.
On that note, I pass my sympathy to the people in Toulouse, in particular to the family that lost a father and two children, leaving a wife and one child. I cannot begin to imagine that woman's feelings. It appears that there was a racist and anti-semitic motive. We in Europe should be utterly disgusted by such acts and show our contempt.
Would it be possible to discuss with the Minister for Finance the levels of tax that people pay? The British Government has introduced personal tax statements to make the tax system more transparent and understandable. There is a perception that, if not for the banking crisis, our country would not be in difficulty. However, there is a deficit. People need to be made more aware of how the taxes they pay every month or week are being utilised by the Government. We should consider introducing this system.
On my way to the Chamber, I heard that AIB was proposing to charge transaction fees in respect of customers with less than €2,500 in their current accounts. The Minister should consider this matter urgently. The people with the least money will be hammered again. Hitting the most vulnerable is an appalling move by AIB.
On behalf of my group, my leader has asked me to express our sympathy to the devastated people of Toulouse.
I endorse my leader's call for the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to attend the House to discuss the mess that is being made of the household charge. I expect that the Minister will attend when a debate on the Mahon tribunal is scheduled. In this light and given that today is the first anniversary of the Moriarty tribunal's report, we need a follow-up debate. I accept that it would be subsequent to the Mahon debate. I am not trying to run away from the issues that might arise from it. I am sure that plenty will for our party in particular, but also for other parties.
In the week that the Taoiseach is in New York with many people, including Mr. Denis O'Brien, and when Fine Gael is proposing the sale of State assets, something with which the Labour Party is going along, it is important that we reflect in due course on the findings of the Moriarty tribunal. There was a debate in the House prior to the last Seanad election. The report was published while I was on the Seanad election trail, but we have not had a full and proper debate on the tribunal. I am giving advance notice that we will have a debate in due course after other matters have been addressed. I hope that my group will endorse my call. We can examine the judge's findings and what has occurred in the meantime, although little has. All sorts of shock and anger were expressed during the Dáil's debate. Shock and anger will undoubtedly be expressed by all sides in respect of the Mahon tribunal. It is important that we in public life learn lessons from both tribunals and make the necessary changes to ensure that State assets are protected and nothing of the sort ever happens again.
I call on the Leader for an urgent debate on the future of wind energy. This issue is separate to my Bill on wind turbines' minimum distances from residential premises. In terms of the economic viability of wind power, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, has inherited a considerable problem from the last Government. The experts claim our policy is wrong. I support Senator Barrett's previous call for a cost benefit analysis of wind energy. The Prime Minister of the UK, David Cameron, has stated that England will move away from wind energy because it is not viable. The same is occurring in Wales, Scotland and the US. Denmark, the wind farm capital of Europe, is moving away from wind energy because its electricity costs are 30% higher than Ireland's. Professor Colm McCarthy stated that we will need a NAMA for wind farms at some point. Will we continue building castles in the sand while providing significant subsidies to the farms' developers?
My main concern stems from the independent legal advice I have received. I have been told that the State is leaving itself liable to be sued because we are not in compliance with World Health Organization, WHO, guidelines on noise levels or with the Aarhus Convention, which gives people the right to participate in any planning process prior to contracts being signed. We are defying their rights. Eight cases involving wind farm developments in Cork are before the High Court. I fear that there will be an "Army Deafness: Part 2" case, that the floodgates will open and that we will be sued. We need an urgent debate on this matter and to take our findings to the Minister.
Ba mhaith liom aird a tharraingt ar chúrsaí oideachais arís. Tá iarratais ar an Cheannaire déanta agam le cúpla seachtain anuas ar dhá díospóireacht tábhachtacha faoi ghnéithe a bhaineann le chúrsaí oideachais, ach níl aon fhreagra díreach faighte agam go fóill. Tá mé chun na hiarratais sin a dhéanamh arís, an uair seo i mBéarla ar eagla na míthuiscine.
I call for two education debates that I have asked for in recent weeks. Rural schools are still in limbo in terms of the Government's proposed cuts to the one to four-teacher rural schools. At the weekend, a large crowd turned up at Páirc Uí Chaoimh to protest against the cuts. Schools have received no indication as to where they stand. The teachers who are lost to rural schools will be asked to go on panels, after which they will be out the door. We need an urgent debate on the issue with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. We also need to discuss with him Gaeltacht schools, which have been dealt a double whammy. In light of the capital allocations and the way in which the cuts are being implemented, it would appear that urban schools are being given preferential treatment over rural schools. We will not take that.
I asked for a debate on the issue of newly qualified teachers. Perhaps the Minister could take both debates in tandem. Following a presentation in Leinster House for all Deputies and Senators, Members from all parties agreed that the way in which newly qualified teachers were being treated was unfair. The new regime will be detrimental to them and will force them to emigrate. It is not good enough to educate young people to leave. We need a full, frank and honest debate. At the presentation, there appeared to be support from all sides of the House on what was deemed an unfair issue.
I found the weekend's proposal by the Friends of the Elderly on replacing transition year with a year of community service was interesting and thought provoking. Will the Leader arrange for a debate?
It was to abolish transition year.
I speak with some recent experience, as my son just completed transition year in our local school, Calasanctius College in Oranmore. While he had a good year, I see great merit in continued community service. There is no reason transition year cannot become a community service year under the tutelage of transition year co-ordinators and with rewards of points. In Singapore second level students are not allowed to graduate without completing a period of community service. These are valuable life skills for young people who are looking for a balanced educational experience that allows them to become rounded adults. There is no reason community service could not be carried out in the mental health area, with disadvantaged groups or in the community. Let us consider the merits of this proposal, in Senator Norris's sense as well.
I do not like being patronised as somebody who is elderly.
Nobody is being patronising.
Does the Senator have question for the Leader?
I ask the Leader to prioritise a debate on this proposal. Friends of the Elderly has raised an important point. Let us do something with it.
I was embarrassed about it, rightly so.
I support Senator Healy Eames on her proposal. For several years I have had the pleasure of awarding prizes to transition year students from a local school. I am constantly amazed at the amount of work they do over the year. The Senator referred to the valuable life skills they develop. It is mind-boggling to think how much can be achieved by youngsters at the age of 15 or 16. They cover such a wide range of activities that it makes sense to make everybody take transition year. A considerable number of schools do not offer transition year, which is a shame.
Can Senator Quinn be informed that the demand was to scrap the self-indulgent transition year?
Transition year is very worthy and we should give more attention to it. It is a topic that deserves to be debated in this House.
I read in yesterday's newspapers that the household tax leaflet will only be delivered to between 86% and 94% of homes. Apparently it was never the intention to deliver it to every home because the Government reached a deal not with An Post, which it owns, but with a body which does not deliver to every house in the country. How can one introduce a household tax in the absence of distributing information on it to every home affected by it? I cannot understand the Government's decision in this regard, particularly when it owns a company, An Post, which could deliver the leaflets. It may have been able to get a cheaper deal from the other organisation but if we are introducing a new tax we should at least ensure everybody expected to pay is informed about it.
I extend the sympathy of the House to the family of the late Jim Stynes, a giant of a man on and off the field. It is appropriate that he is being afforded a state funeral in Melbourne. We can look to him as an excellent role model.
However, the person who most concerns me this morning is not a role model. The chief executive of Bank of Ireland drew down a staggering €831,000 in payments last year. This is not only absurd but is also obscene at a time when the country is going through a recession. I cannot understand how the Minister for Finance, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste allowed this to happen. They have to stand up to the banks. This bank would not be in existence were it not for the taxpayer.
Well said.
It avoided nationalisation by the skin of its teeth. If Richie Boucher is sufficiently talented to be worth this absurd and obscene amount of money——
I ask the Senator to refrain from mentioning names on the Order of Business.
With respect, this is in the public domain.
We know who he is.
As this man is not in the Chamber to defend himself, I ask the Senator to refrain from mentioning his name.
Perhaps his name could be shortened to "Rich".
Senator Norris has already spoken. Does Senator Whelan have a question for the Leader?
That is an excellent suggestion. I will refer to him hereafter as "Rich". It is very rich that we are calling on pensioners, widowers, the unemployed and those in mortgage arrears to pay the household charge, which I support, when we appear to be totally helpless in preventing this type of salary to be drawn down in a bank.
What about special advisers?
What happened to the salary cap?
What happened to the special advisers?
Senator Whelan to continue, without interruption.
What about Sinn Féin's relationship with the banks? It was not too healthy.
Does Senator Whelan have a question for the Leader?
What about Sinn Féin and the banks? There is nothing to be proud of there.
Senator Norris has already spoken.
He is very rowdy today.
I am elderly.
Does Senator Whelan have a question for the Leader?
In fairness, a substantive point can be made without naming individuals. Senior bankers lobbied Dublin City Council for planning permission. They helped to drive their banks onto the rocks. I call on the Leader to ask the Minister for Finance to outline the actions the Government intends to take on this matter. This is happening in a year when senior Bank of Ireland executives withdrew €30 million of their own cash from the bank. Where has that money gone? How can we have confidence in them if they lack confidence in their own bank? This has to be stopped.
I have two points to make about the household charge. I am reasonably computer literate but when I paid online recently I found it tough going. That is part of what is wrong——
They even privatised the bin collection service.
——with the dissemination of information, which leaves a lot to be desired. I also fault county councils for their slowness in getting the message out to the public. The entire affair has been disappointing.
However disappointing the dissemination of information might have been, the position adopted by certain elected Oireachtas Members is reprehensible. They have the privilege of representing the people in the Oireachtas and had the opportunity to vote against household charges. Once they happened to be on the losing side they advised the public not to support the charge and, in effect, to break the law of the land.
Well said.
They need to look at themselves. What is their position on representative democracy? Are they trying to impose their minority views on the majority of elected representatives? I find what is being said on the airwaves reprehensible.
They do not look like a minority to me.
I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Deenihan, to the House to address the ongoing problems experienced by the Moore Street project, which is sponsored by the families of the 1916 leaders. Representatives of the project presented their case to an Oireachtas committee this morning. An area of Moore Street is designated as a national monument but Dublin City Council granted permission for the redevelopment of part of the street. I understand the Minister has sought a report on the matter. The findings of this report will be critical to whether the proposed sterile retail development, which is now in NAMA, will proceed instead of the plans put forward by the 1916 families, which would allow for a vibrant and suitable memorial to the 1916 leaders based on the traditional Moore Street market. If the Minister could finalise the report and explain it to the House, it would be the first step in building a fitting monument. It would be a disgrace if 2016 comes and goes without a fitting monument to our heroes in the Moore Street area.
I want to share some good news about banks, for a change. MBNA in Carrick-on-Shannon has been sold, thereby protecting the 250 jobs in the Irish side of the business. It is no accident this welcome news was released on foot of the successful visit by the Taoiseach and Ministers to New York. It is very good news for the workers concerned after a period of great uncertainty.
We must also take action on the price of diesel, petrol and home heating oil. Every time there is a price increase, the Government gets more in tax. It is time to take a look at the issue of tax on oils, particularly diesel as most transport in the country is diesel. As someone from the agriculture sector, I am aware that now that spring is here, significant amounts of diesel will be needed for farming. The higher prices are a major factor in this area and will affect and reduce progress made in farming in the past few months.
I support the request made by Senator John Whelan that we send our sympathy to the family of Jim Stynes in Melbourne. He was a wonderful example of an Irishman who had contributed so much to his adopted country, particularly Melbourne. I would also like to be associated with the proposal made by Senators Thomas Byrne and David Norris to send our sympathy to the people of Toulouse following the horrible murders there of innocent children and others. A rabbi and his two children were assassinated by this anti-semitic individual. I hope he will be caught and brought to justice.
Senator Norris made a point with regard to an issue highlighted last night on "Prime Time". This relates to genetic material which has been stored over a long period from blood samples taken in heel prick tests. I cannot understand why the Data Protection Commissioner, Billy Hawkes, and the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, would decide to destroy some of this invaluable information. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children should be given the opportunity to study the issue before this action is taken. The information is invaluable and I cannot understand why the Data Information Commissioner should interfere in this issue. The information has a long-term effect and could be of benefit to many people in the future if stored carefully and safely in Dublin. I commend "Prime Time" for its excellent programme highlighting this issue. The Minister should decide to prevent the destruction of this information, which is crucial to future research, before it is destroyed.
I join Senator O'Sullivan on the issue of the household charge and call for the Minister to address the House on this crucial issue. I read a statement from Donegal County Council today which stated that it may have to revisit its 2012 budget due to the shortfall in funding that will arise due to the non-payment of the household charge. The same councillors from Donegal County Council who are calling for members of the public not to pay the charges are now telling the public that the service from Donegal County Council will be reduced. The manager and executive of Donegal County Council have said that Donegal will be short, to the tune of €8 million, for services vital to the county. For these people to tell others not to pay their household charge is tantamount to subversion of the State. As Senator O'Sullivan said, we have a democracy and irrespective of whether we like it, our laws are passed in this Parliament. People cannot make the laws out on the street or we will end up in anarchy. They should not even suggest we break the law. It is one thing to tell people they cannot afford the charge or that they cannot pay it, but telling neighbours not to pay their debts is totally irresponsible.
I would like to highlight the fact that Sinn Féin does not know where it stands on the policy. With the draconian system that operates in Northern Ireland, everyone pays. The system there is not based on ability to pay, but on the value of property. People in social housing must pay there also. They have no choice.
The Senator is making a single transferable speech again.
The Senator does not like the truth.
Does Senator Harte have a question for the Leader?
I ask that the Minister, Deputy Hogan, come to the House and explain the charge. Perhaps Sinn Féin can explain to the Minister why it wants social housing tenants in Northern Ireland to pay rates, but it does not want anyone to pay them here. That is total hypocrisy and there is no way around it.
I was going to raise the issue of the household charge but in the context that only 15% of the people have already paid it. Does this mean the 85% who have not paid are subverting democracy? Looking at the number of people who have not paid, it is obvious many Fine Gael, Labour Party and Fianna Fáil supporters have not paid.
That is not the point. They are not public representatives.
They are citizens of the State and they are taking a stand.
Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
I have. Many people who are not paying the charge are not paying it because it is unfair and regressive. They are not paying it because somebody who earns €10,000 a week pays the same as somebody who earns €10,000 a year. That is unfair. If people say that anyone who does not pay the household charge is subverting the State and democracy, that is shameful. The Government should be properly funding local government in order that it has money.
Does the Senator support the call for the debate?
What I would say to all those Senators who come in here week in and out and attack Sinn Féin and those taking a stand on this charge is that they have their chance. On the same day as the expiry date for the payment of the household charge, 31 March, they should not pay the €3.1 billion Anglo Irish Bank promissory note. That is about 17 times more than what the Government will take in on the household charge. That is the choice available to the Government. It should not come in here attacking Sinn Féin, which is not in government. The Government should do what it should be doing. It should stand up for the people and not pay the Anglo Irish Bank promissory note. It should go after the wealthy in this country, not the small and medium-sized businesses and low to middle income families who are being hammered by the Government and were hammered by the previous one.
We have to be able to run the country and the economy.
I agree with my good friend on the other side, Senator Ned O'Sullivan with regard to what he said about Moore Street. As we are all aware, part of that street is a national monument and we would all like to see a suitable memorial there, as outlined by the Senator. I support the call for the Minister, Deputy Deenihan, to come to the House soon with the report from the committee to update us on this. I hope the matter will be attended to as soon as possible.
Reference was made this morning to tribunal reports. As we know, any recommendation that may be contained in such reports, for example, in the Mahon tribunal report which is imminent, is a matter for the Government. It will look at the recommendations, if any, and presumably there will be some. No doubt, any serious recommendations will be treated as such by the Government and legislation will follow. I support the call for a debate on the issue, following publication of the report. If any issues arise from any other tribunal reports, those should be dealt with in another debate. I support the calls for a debate.
It was with utter shock that I learned yesterday of the news of two adults chasing each other around a primary school in Ennis with a machete. It is appalling to think that young primary schoolchildren should witness such horror in the main town of County Clare. I commend the Garda Síochána on making arrests almost immediately. This type of appalling behaviour should not be allowed in any town in any country, particularly in this country. I hope justice will prevail rapidly and urgently.
On the theme of education, I call for a debate on the overall curriculum at second level. For a long time, I have believed that we should move away from the pressure-cooker points based system that engulfs the lives of young people for their final two years of secondary education and move towards a system of continuous assessment where the potential of young people, not just academically but in the arts, music and other areas, can be explored and developed. We should be looking at a holistic approach to education instead of the thwarted approach currently adopted. The current approach is focused on the academic side of education and is based on six or seven core academic subjects as opposed to an overall sporting, artistic, musical and creative educational experience. Education should be about giving young people the skills to go through life meaningfully and productively and not simply to gain a few points to do an academic course at third level which they are unequipped to do.
Today marks the seventh anniversary of world Down's syndrome day and for the first time, the United Nations will officially observe this day. In December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared this day and every future 21 March world Down's syndrome day, which I welcome. Each year the voices of people with Down's syndrome and those who care for, and work with, them grow stronger. It is great progress to welcome the first United Nations-recognised world Down's syndrome day. It will go a long way to raise public awareness of Down's syndrome, what it means to have Down's syndrome and how people with Down's syndrome can play such a vital role in our society. Down's syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement which has always been a part of the human condition and is to be found in all communities across the world. It is vital that adequate health care access is available to all. Early intervention programmes and inclusive education as well as appropriate research are vital to the growth and development of the individual. I call on the Leader to arrange a debate on services for children with disabilities, in particular pre-school services for children with Down's syndrome.
I was going to raise another matter on the Order of Business but having listened to the anarchy proposed by members of the Sinn Féin Party, will the Leader ask that the transcripts of debates in the Northern Ireland Assembly on the stance taken by Sinn Féin Members there to rates and household charges in the North to be made available? For years, that party subverted——
That has nothing to do with this Chamber. Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
It has a lot to do with it.
A Chathaoirligh, you allowed somebody to propose anarchy in this House in regard to not paying the household charge.
Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
I am asking the Leader to arrange for the transcripts to be made available to this House.
Bring in the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister.
On a point of order and to set the record straight, I did not advocate that people should not pay. Senator O'Neill should listen to what people say. I said it was an unfair and regressive tax and that it should be scrapped. There is a big difference.
Does Senator O'Neill have a question for the Leader?
The Sinn Féin Members have suggested we invite to the House the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. I would like to bring them in to ask them what their position is. Sinn Féin subverted the laws of this country and for years would not recognise the Army, the courts and the Garda. Next we will have them saying road tax is an unfair charge.
Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
They will say the television licence is an unfair charge. We should ask the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to visit the House to speak about rates in Northern Ireland.
That is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
I will ask the other question tomorrow.
I voice my concern in regard to the proposal to destroy the database which hold details of blood tests taken from babies, known as the heel test. This practice has been ongoing since the 1960s and there has never been a complaint about it. I know it contravenes EU law but it might be a retrograde step.
Other Senators raised the household charge but I have a suggestion for the Leader to make to the Minister. People who have paid their household charge should be given free radon testing in their houses. If the Minister could write off €45 from the septic tank registration fee with the swipe of a pen, he could write with that same pen that people should be given free radon testing in their houses. Areas along the west and east coasts show very high readings of radon. The Minister could do that as a goodwill gesture. Other Senators have called for him to attend the House and when he does, I will put this proposal to put to him.
I support the suggestion by Senator Noone that each taxpayer should receive a statement at the end of the year outlining where his or her tax moneys have been spent. Sometimes much of the noise comes from non-tax paying citizens but the tax paying citizens should be informed officially as to how much of their tax moneys are spent on justice, health, education, social welfare, etc. It would help to have an informed debate on tax and expenditure. All of us should be mature enough to have such a debate on public expenditure and taxation in this House.
There was much talk about the household charge today but let us be realistic about it. This country is only a few steps away from bankruptcy. Very significant progress has been made in trying to turn around the ship of state but this country is almost broke. We must borrow billions to keep the country ticking over. There is no magic solution. Perhaps there is a way to use the copious amount of toner available to one party to photocopy the millions of Northern Bank notes and turn them into billions but it is not as simple as that. We need to have a serious economic discussion.
It is not realistic to expect the Minister responsible for the household charge to come to the House today but I agree with my colleagues who believe a contribution from the Minister to further clarify the urgent need for this charge and how and where it can be paid would be helpful. I ask the proposers of the amendment to at least allow the Leader to have discussions with the Minister to see if it would be possible to have that debate tomorrow. The Minster has come to the House to respond to Adjournment debates on the household charge but further public information and public debate is necessary. However, the bottom line is that the Oireachtas, whether one likes it, has passed this household charge. If a country stops respecting the rule of law, it enters the field of anarchy and nobody wants that. We need further clarification but we must get it in a calm fashion. I do not expect that to happen today but I hope the Minister will have the opportunity at the Leader's request to come to the House, perhaps tomorrow, to engage in constructive dialogue.
We need some realism in this House. Last year we spent €13.4 billion on health care, including on medical cards, elderly care and hospital care, and we brought in €13.317 billion in income tax. Every cent paid in income tax last year was spent on health care.
I refer to the payment of commercial rates. If one is a member of a local authority, one is not entitled to hold one's seat if one has not paid one's rates by 31 December. I was a rate payer and member of Cork City Council. This year I had to pay €7,000 for 1,500 sq. ft. of office space for my business. I do not receive income from that business. A hotel in Cork is paying €500,000 per year in commercial rates, which amounts to €10,000 per week and is the equivalent of paying €100 for 1,000 houses in one week. That is the reality of the payments being paid by the commercial sector. Even if one does not make one cent in profit, one must pay the commercial rates in order to maintain services from which the public benefits. We need to get real in regard to widening the tax base. A huge mistake was made in 1977 when we abolished domestic rates. We to widen the tax base and this is just the first step in this regard.
I refer to transition year. As a Member of the European Parliament, I followed the Minister, Deputy Coveney, in working on one of the projects in our schools called Understanding Europe. Each year the winners and runners up won a trip to Brussels. It was a great project and more than 50 or 60 schools from around Munster entered it. It was a considerable educational process and there are plenty of others like it. The debate we are having is about looking at new projects like that. There is a great need at this stage for people to start understanding the European Union and what it contributes to this country, in the supports in place for agriculture and many other areas. Abolishing the transition year is not the way forward. It is about growing and developing it and ensuring it gets the necessary support. I would welcome a debate in that area.
A few months ago I raised the issue of VEC amalgamations and where headquarters were located. I raised it in the Chamber, both with the Leader and as an Adjournment matter. I asked for a clear and open debate on how the decision was made; I got answers in the form of criteria. In a recent freedom of information request response from the Department of Education and Skills, however, I found that in a number of cases, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, went against departmental advice, especially in regard to value of money. He used his personal preference to allocate the headquarters of a number of VECs. Today we will talk about economic arguments and how we spend our money. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Education and Skills or, at some stage perhaps the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, to discuss decisions that were made on VEC headquarters, why the criteria we were told were being used were not used and how the Minister came to exercise his personal preference in this decision?
I support Senator Whelan in his remarks about the outrageous remuneration package of the chief executive officer of the Bank of Ireland. It is incumbent on all of us to investigate and examine the packages being paid to all higher paid civil servants, heads of the semi-State bodies and heads of the banking organisations.
The special advisers.
The special advisers and the top earners who are being paid from the public purse. We must ask where are the salary caps about which we hear so much. Why is a person heading up an organisation that has cost this country so dearly being paid four times as much as the Taoiseach? Many people in this country would think that gentleman is not doing as good a job as the Taoiseach is even though he is being paid four times as much. It is very difficult to convince people to pay the household charge when they see that sort of income being paid to the head of an organisation that is the cause of our having to find so much money to pay the banks. These are all legitimate questions and might provide the basis for a good, useful and constructive debate in the House. I ask the Leader to take that onboard.
I was both surprised and disappointed when the UNITE and CPSU unions came out against the household charge. One must ask when was the last time unions became blatantly political. When they were set up they were political movements as well as being members' organisations but since social partnership they have not got involved in extra political activities.
Most of them are affiliated to the Labour Party. They are entitled to do that.
Senator Sheahan to continue, without interruption. Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
This is a blatant anti-Government and overtly political stance which is sinister.
They are affiliated to the Labour Party, a party of Government.
Let us hear Senator Sheahan, without interruption.
As many will observe, the party with which these unions were always happy to do deals was Fianna Fáil. I wonder whether they would have done this if Bertie was still around.
You consistently opposed every part of——
Senator Sheahan to continue, without interruption. Does he have a question for the Leader?
A pathetic effort.
I have. Will the Leader write to the unions and seek their co-operation? They should bear in mind they will shortly be renegotiating the Croke Park agreement. There are two sides to every coin.
Bully tactics.
A vote there against Government policy.
St. Patrick's weekend obviously did a great deal for Members. They seem to be very exercised on the Order of Business.
They missed the Leader.
In regard to Senator O'Brien's point, what happened last week about Private Members' business was regrettable but I am sure we will have a healthy debate tonight on the same subject. I have not yet done so but I will find out for the Senator about the committee report on pyrites, when it will be available and how often the committee hasmet.
A number of speakers raised the household charge. We have debated this topic on numerous occasions. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, attended the House to discuss the actual Bill and has been present on a number of occasions for Adjournment motions on this subject. There is very little more he can say on the subject. I understand the figure who have paid is 15% — I take Senator Cullinane at his word. Nonetheless, the charge is due. People have another ten or 11 days to pay it. I am sure the vast majority will adhere to the laws of the country as passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas. I take great umbrage that Members of the Oireachtas advocate that people should break the law. It is an absolute disgrace that legislators in this House, having gone through the legislative system, go out into the streets and advocate what amounts to anarchy by asking people not to pay the charge.
Speakers have asked also about services within local authorities. The Minister spelled this out perfectly well. If the money is not paid, services will suffer in local authorities. There is no question about it. There is no other money available. Let us be honest about it — the money is not available. If it does not come in, it cannot be spent on services in local authorities. Those who jump up——
You can find €3 billion for Anglo Irish Bank.
——like Senator Cullinane and others on the topic of local services are the ones who will say we should have more services.
When the Senator was in opposition he did plenty of jumping up and down.
If the money does not come in, we cannot provide services. That is the simple fact of the matter.
Some €3.1 billion is going to Anglo Irish Bank — there is the money.
Senator Bacik mentioned the non-governmental organisation alliance report on racism and racial discrimination. We can arrange a debate on it and on the merger between the Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission, which has been mentioned in the House by Senator Zappone on several occasions.
Senator van Turnhout referred to the UN universal periodic review report and asked that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, attend the House to discuss the implementation of its recommendations. We should do that and I will invite the Minister to discuss this matter.
We will bring up the matter of the party leaders' allowance. I am sure that Senator van Turnhout and her Independent colleagues have already brought it to the attention of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in regard to having a fully vouched party leader's allowance. Parties must have a fully vouched allowance.
Senators Norris, Healy Eames, Quinn and others spoke about transition year. I would not advocate scrapping this year which can and should be a very positive and fulfilling time for many children. If possible, the programme should be expanded.
I extend the deepest sympathy of the House to the bereaved in Toulouse and also to the family of Jim Stynes. All Members agree to extend our sympathy to everybody involved.
Senators Noone and Bradford referred to the need for people to know where their taxes were spent. We have an ideal opportunity to do so this afternoon and tomorrow. The Finance Bill deals with tax and expenditure. I agree that if the Revenue Commissioners can outline where moneys are spent in various categories when giving tax returns at the end of the year, it should be done.
Senators Byrne and Paul Coghlan referred to pending tribunal reports. I am sure we will deal with those matters when the reports are published.
Senator Kelly referred to the future of wind energy projects. We had a debate on Senator Kelly's Bill with the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte. We will try to persuade the Minister to discuss the same subject again.
Senator Ó Clochartaigh and several other Senators called for a debate on education. A number of weeks ago, I indicated that the Minister would come into the House for a wide-ranging debate on education. I believe the date is 19 April but I will confirm it tomorrow.
Senator Whelan and others addressed Bank of Ireland bonuses. I do not think it is acceptable and the public does not think these bonuses should be paid in banks bailed out by the country. It is inexcusable that people in these positions are paid bonuses over four times what the Taoiseach receives as a salary. Perhaps the matter can be raised when the Minister of Finance speaks on the Finance Bill this afternoon.
I commend Senator O'Sullivan for adopting a responsible position on the household charge.
He is a very responsible Senator.
I will ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to come to the Chamber to discuss the monument on Moore Street and national monuments.
Senator Comiskey welcomed the protection of 250 jobs in MBNA in Carrick-on-Shannon. We all welcome it.
The Finance Bill is the correct vehicle, if Members will pardon the pun, to raise the price of diesel. Senator Leyden and others referred to destroying a database, an issue that can be dealt with by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children.
Regarding Senator Harte's point, I raised the matter in respect of services suffering locally if the household charge is not paid. Senator Conway raised the disgraceful episode that took place in a schoolyard in Ennis yesterday. We hope that justice will take its course.
Senator Moran has highlighted the fact that the UN has recognised 21 March as Down's syndrome day. We hope the needs of people with Down's syndrome will be highlighted on that day.
Senator O'Neill referred to transcripts of debates in Northern Ireland. It is difficult enough to deal with transcripts of debates in this House.
The Leader should send him up on study leave.
Senator Moloney raised the issue of radon testing, a matter we can raise with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I understand there is a small cost to radon testing in houses and that such testing is recommended.
Senator Colm Burke referred to the fact that €13.4 billion was paid last year, the same amount taken in in income tax. That highlights the difficulties for the Government in balancing the books. He also highlighted commercial rates and the burden they represent for those in the retail sector.
Senator Reilly referred to the VEC amalgamation and criteria in an example of how to ask a question on the Order of Business. The Senator asked the question and sat down rather than pontificating.
She will get a gold star.
She is an economic scientist.
We will have the Minister for Education and Skills in the Chamber in early course and I hope he will address these matters.
Senator Sheahan raised the case of unions opposed to the household charge. Unions can decide to do what they wish but it is up to their members to decide whether they will break the law. Any union advocating breaking the law is not acting in good faith.
Senator Darragh O'Brien has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, "That a debate on the need to extend the date for payment of the household charge be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?
It is.
Tá
- Barrett, Sean D.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cullinane, David.
- Leyden, Terry.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- Mooney, Paschal.
- Norris, David.
- Ó Clochartaigh, Trevor.
- O’Brien, Darragh.
- O’Donovan, Denis.
- O'Sullivan, Ned.
- Quinn, Feargal.
- Reilly, Kathryn.
- White, Mary M.
- Wilson, Diarmuid.
Níl
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Bradford, Paul.
- Brennan, Terry.
- Burke, Colm.
- Coghlan, Paul.
- Comiskey, Michael.
- Conway, Martin.
- Cummins, Maurice.
- D’Arcy, Jim.
- Gilroy, John.
- Harte, Jimmy.
- Hayden, Aideen.
- Healy Eames, Fidelma.
- Heffernan, James.
- Higgins, Lorraine.
- Keane, Cáit.
- Kelly, John.
- Landy, Denis.
- Moloney, Marie.
- Moran, Mary.
- Mulcahy, Tony.
- Mullins, Michael.
- Noone, Catherine.
- O’Donnell, Marie-Louise.
- O’Keeffe, Susan.
- O’Neill, Pat.
- Sheahan, Tom.
- van Turnhout, Jillian.
- Whelan, John.
- Zappone, Katherine.