The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the protection of the euro and other currencies against counterfeiting by criminal law and replacing Council Framework Decision 2000/383/JHA, back from the joint committee to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, motion regarding EU scrutiny work programme 2013, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1 without debate; and No. 3, National Lottery Bill 2012 - Report Stage, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2. I remind the House of the address tomorrow by the EU Commissioner, Ms Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, at 12.30 p.m. To facilitate a prompt start to the address I hope all Members will be in their seats for 12.30 p.m.
Order of Business
I am glad to see the National Lottery Bill will be debated today. We have had a week between Committee and Report Stages, which is a positive step for the Seanad. Will we debate No. 2?
I shall not call a vote on the first issue that I wish to raise. I urge the Leader to arrange a debate on the motion set out in No. 2 on the Order Paper. Every day that one comes into the Seanad there are calls for us to deal with the scrutiny of European legislation. Today we have been asked to adopt, without debate, the EU scrutiny work programme 2013 of the Oireachtas joint committees' priorities. I appeal to the Leader to reconsider his proposal and to arrange a debate. For some considerable time Members on both sides have called for an opportunity to scrutinise EU legislation. The least that we can do is to debate a motion and not just an item that is laid down in the Order Paper. It seems completely illogical and somewhat farcical that we have calls every day to adopt issues yet a motion to adopt an EU scrutiny work programme is proposed to be adopted without debate.
The motion is going through the Dáil as well.
It seems that the Seanad seeks a role for itself but then votes measures down. Therefore, I shall call a vote on the motion if no debate is arranged because that is the proper thing to do. We can talk all we like about dealing with EU legislation, yet when a motion is tabled it is passed without debate. That is not a good way for the Seanad to operate or deal with business.
The substantive issue that I want to raise relates to Priory Hall. Before I am told to stop talking about a matter before the courts I shall state that I shall not comment on a court action. This week Dublin City Council lodged a Supreme Court appeal against a High Court decision for it to provide temporary accommodation to Priory Hall residents. The city council has now returned to the courts to deal with the matter. The problem with the situation is that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, has sat on the sideline while the residents must go to court and fight their case while Dublin City Council, the housing authority for the area, drags people through the highest court in the land. The families in the case are blameless, the city council is trying to remove itself from its role as housing authority and, unfortunately, the Government has sat on the sideline and not provided any answers to the people who have been left basically homeless. The local authority did not do its job at the outset of the construction phase and the Government of the day had said that the matters are outside of its remit.
It is a matter for the Supreme Court to decide whenever it reaches its decision. However, I call on the Minister to intervene in the situation but not in the court case. I want him to give some practical help to the residents. On that note, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that we call the Minister to the Seanad to explain his position regarding the Priory Hall residents and the Government's action in respect of them. I also want him, more generally, to explain his position and the updated position on homes with pyrite.
I have no difficulty in asking the Minister to attend the House to discuss the Priory Hall situation. It would be far more appropriate for him to do so after the Supreme Court rules on Friday and, therefore, I do not support the Senator's call.
I welcome the news today that 12 of the Pamela Scott stores have successfully exited examinership which has resulted in saving 137 jobs in the retail sector. Key to the success has been the fact that negotiations with landlords have resulted in a 40% reduction in the company's overheads. The most significant reduction has been in the crippling rents paid on the premises rented by the company.
It is a sad fact that many commercial landlords here have still not woken up to the truth that they are bringing Irish businesses down by not being prepared to renegotiate leases that have upward-only rent reviews. The Pamela Scott negotiations only succeeded because of the examinership process. We could have processes to review upward-only rents without having to go to the expense of going to court. We saw a similar outcome in the B&Q case where rents were renegotiated and reviewed as part of the examinership process and 640 jobs were saved. Unfortunately, not all of the jobs were saved because we know that the jobs in Waterford were not.
I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, to again discuss the matter of upward-only rent reviews. I do not believe the commercial landlords here realise the role that they must play in order to get Irish retailers back on their feet. They need to get real about their rents. It is not appropriate that companies must go through a very expensive examinership process in order to achieve this kind of outcome.
I also ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Education and Skills to come into the Chamber to discuss his Department's findings and the report, School Completers - What's Next? In particular, I refer to the finding that children who attend fee-paying schools are far more likely to get into third level education. The good news is more than 50% of all those who exit the secondary school system go on to third level education and a further 28% go on to colleges of further education and training. In other words, Ireland has a success rate of 75% in respect of its children leaving second level education and going on to higher or further education, as well as to colleges of further education. However, a highly worrying report was also published today by the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan. She has outlined the difficulties children in care experience with the educational system. Were the Minister for Education and Skills to be invited into this House, he should also address the educational outcomes for children in care. This is because, as Members are aware, two out of every three children who leave the care of the State, the latter having acted in loco parentis for them, end up experiencing homelessness within two years.
Finally, Focus Ireland launched its annual report today and I commend it on its work in the areas of preventing homelessness and dealing with those who unfortunately are homeless. It is a sad fact that the number of people now presenting as homeless in the greater Dublin area has more than doubled within the past 12 months.
I call Senator O'Donovan. My apologies, I call Senator Mullen.
I thank the Cathaoirleach. Hopefully, Senator O'Donovan is welcome to the Independent Benches and we will be generous in divvying out the time.
My apologies Senator.
I support Senator Byrne's remarks on two fronts. First, he rightly identifies that Members really ought to be discussing European legislation and European proposals to a much greater extent. This latest proposal, which pertains to a directive at European level to harmonise laws to ensure the protection of the euro and other currencies against counterfeiting, is a very good example. I was actually present at the meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality the other day. I was one of only one or two Oireachtas Members present who heard what the Minister, Deputy Shatter, had to say and who discussed it and then participated in questions, in addition to Deputy Alan Farrell, who chaired the meeting and Deputy Finian McGrath, who I believe also had questions. My point is that it was far from being a thorough scrutiny of the proposal of the kind that might be considered desirable. There is nothing particularly controversial in the proposal, although there are issues, for example, in respect of surveillance and the possibility of certain minimum sentencing for such offences, which is not something that would sit well in this jurisdiction. Members had a very interesting discussion, in so far as it went, but it would be entirely appropriate for Members of these Houses, and of this House in particular, to engage in further scrutiny of such a proposal and I second what Senator Byrne had to say in this regard.
He also called for the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to come to this House and I also would like him to come in, albeit for another reason. In last Friday's edition of the Irish Independent, it was reported that the Minister, Deputy Hogan, stated the reason Fine Gael was forced to change its position on abortion - its original promise being that it would not legislate for abortion - was following a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights after the election, which the Minister stated required the Government to then legislate for the existing constitutional position. The entire thrust of the article in the Irish Independent is that the Minister, Deputy Hogan, was stating that Fine Gael had its election promises and then came a European court decision. The only problem is the European court decision in question came in December 2010, that is, three months before the election. The promise given by Fine Gael was on the back of the Strasbourg court decision and Fine Gael, under the guidance of the now Minister, Deputy Hogan, gave clear commitments. This raises the question as to whether the Government is playing games with the truth in this regard. Is it about making it up as one goes along?
I must be fair to the Minister, who approached me in the corridor just now. I will conclude very shortly but this is an important point. He approached me in the corridor just now to say he had heard from the Chief Whip that I was raising a question. He then gave me an explanation which, frankly, I did not understand because it is quite clear, from the article in Friday's edition of the Irish Independent, that the Minister was giving the journalists to understand there was an election commitment and then there was a court decision. However, that is not how it happened and the Minister should know that. I will not accuse the Minister of lying but someone advising the Minister or perhaps the Minister himself gave a journalist a version of events that cannot be in concordance with the truth.
Perhaps the Leader will ask the Minister to come in and be accountable to this House, even if the media is so far not holding him to account, for what he said, what he meant, whether the Government is making up excuses as it goes along and whether the truth matters a damn to it at all.
Listening to Senator Mullen, I am reminded what I used to be told going out to play football with the Geraldines: "If you cannot get the ball, get the man."
We want the man in.
That is the way they play it up in Louth.
We never did that. As Senator Hayden said, after the leaving certificate, 76% of students go on to further or third level education. That is very high, even by European standards. I congratulate our education system, teachers and schools for how they look after our young students.
At the same time, like Senator Hayden, I was also interested in a statement by the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, who said children in care are more likely to experience educational difficulties compared with the general population. Speaking on "Morning Ireland" on RTE, she said it was unacceptable there is no information on the educational outcomes of children in care. Ms Logan outlined the need to gather data on these children. Children in care often have multiple placements, meaning they change school often. I agree with Ms Logan that we must have a tracking system for the educational outcomes for children in care. Further to Senator Hayden's remarks, I propose that we invite the Ombudsman for Children to the House to further educate us on her concerns and the need to gather data on these vulnerable children in order that we can help them to achieve their potential.
The Senator can take that matter up with the leader of his group.
I second Senator Byrne's amendment to the Order of Business.
It was seconded by Senator Mullen.
It has not been seconded.
I am glad the Cathaoirleach has corrected the Fine Gael Whip and put him in his place for a change.
Has the Senator a question for the Leader?
I agree completely with Senator Byrne, and I am entitled to say that because I am spokesman on European affairs and it is Europe week, a very significant week in the Oireachtas. I compliment the officers of the House on putting up the flags in the entrance hall. They are very impressive and I hope they remain there for the rest of the Presidency. It would be a useful opportunity for discussing the proposals.
Will the Leader consider an early debate with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on the future development of Ireland West Airport Knock? The unveiling on Sunday at the airport was a wonderful event that honoured the late, great Monsignor James Horan, who was born 102 years ago on Sunday last. It was a historical event and as I looked around, it reminded me of the late Jim Mitchell when he said it was a foggy, boggy site.
The Senator had a very prominent position there.
Indeed, and rightly so, because I was one of the few people there 26 years ago when it was opened, and I was one of the very few people there who supported this project with the late, great Charles J. Haughey. Without those two great men, that airport would not be there today.
Have I wandered into "Reeling In The Years"?
I am glad to see the conversion of the Fine Gael Party members who were there. I compliment the Taoiseach for not speaking on the occasion.
It was a worthy decision in the circumstances.
Does Senator Leyden have a question for the Leader on the Order of Business?
My question to the Leader is a very reasonable one. Given the vital role Knock airport is playing in the development of the west, it would be worthwhile to arrange a discussion with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on plans and proposals for the future of the airport.
The matter the Senator raises may be suitable for discussion on the Adjournment.
No, the issue is too big for that. I am delighted the Archbishop of Tuam made a strong case to the Taoiseach for the development of the airport and left other issues for another day.
The Senator is way over time.
This is an interesting issue about which I would like to say more.
Senator Mullen made an important, honest and truthful point. The media are being misled by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan.
I commend the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, on visiting the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, on Friday last to attend a long overdue and fitting memorial service for Mr. Brian Stack, at which a bust of the late chief prison officer of Portlaoise Prison was unveiled. Mr. Stack, a serving prison officer, was murdered 30 years ago outside the National Stadium on the South Circular Road. He was gunned down because he showed great diligence and commitment in the conduct of his duty and in protecting the institutions of the State. Private Paddy Kelly, a soldier from Moate, lost his life in 1986 in similar circumstances when he was shot in Derrada Wood as he tried to rescue Don Tidey. I remember with some horror - I was a young teenager at the time - the death of Garda Michael Clerkin from County Monaghan who was lured to his death at a house in Portarlington, County Laois, which was blown up by an indiscriminate booby-trapped bomb.
Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
Yes. It is fitting that the Minister visited Portlaoise to record and acknowledge an event that took place 30 years ago. Today, the Dáil will pass the Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill, which will pay tribute to and finally honour the Irishmen who left the Irish Army during the Second World War to fight against the forces of fascism in Europe. The record should be set straight in this matter. Tomorrow, the President will be joined by the Taoiseach in Arbour Hill to recognise those who died fighting for Irish freedom in the 1916 Rising. I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House to discuss the possibility of devising a formula to recognise and acknowledge the service of the prison officers, gardaí and members of the Defence Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Senator is way over time.
This is an important point.
Yes, but the Senator is over time.
As I do not usually go over time, perhaps the Cathaoirleach will bear with me. The State should find a mechanism to recognise the role played by gardaí, prison officers and soldiers at a time when the law and institutions of the State, including the Oireachtas, were being subverted and placed under severe threat by subversive elements. This is the least we can do.
Senator Leyden agreed with the statement of my colleague, Senator Mullen, to the effect that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, was playing games and making it up as he went along and the Government was giving a version of events that did not square with the truth and did not appear to give a damn about the truth. The Senator makes a very interesting observation, one which I would make about the Iona Institute. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Today, we heard another example of a distinguished medical person - in this case Professor David Fergusson from New Zealand - distancing himself from the use the Iona Institute and others, including Members of the House, made of his research. Professor Fergusson stated his research had been used in a misleading manner. I hope those who so used it will withdraw their comments. This is the third or fourth time the Iona Institute has been caught misusing scientific research and it finds itself in the awkward position of having the authors of various scientific papers disassociating themselves from such use.
It raises a number of questions about the relationship this self-appointed group has with integrity, truth and understanding.
I am not impugning any motives on anybody's part but if one looks at what happened the last time in respect of putting Article 40.3.3° into the Constitution, which was completely sectarian and opposed by leading members of my church, it established the theological position of one dominant faith and had extraordinary unintended consequences, as theologians would say. I was very surprised there was no term or time-line offered for the date within a pregnancy up to which a termination could ensue. I discovered this was because of the wording of Article 40.3.3°. We are almost unique in the world in having this situation which, no doubt, is as a result of the well-intentioned meddling of people who did not know what they were talking about.
I refer, in conclusion, to the possibility of excommunication, which is a separation from the sacraments, the body of Christ and all the rest of it. This is very serious and it is regrettable that Cardinal Brady is the person who took this step. Whatever about that, to do that to a politician, any politician, who acts in conscience and in line with the law, is extraordinary. We should be very careful about this. In 2009, a nine year old girl in Brazil, pregnant as a result of incest, was taken by her parents to have an abortion because her pathetic, childish, little body could not tolerate giving birth. For doing that, she and her entire family were excommunicated by the local archbishop. That is completely unchristian and I hope that nothing even remotely approaching this will happen here in either personal or political life.
All of us in the Seanad speak about the importance of European legislation but we must also remember that 96% of legislation made in Ireland comes from Europe. It is unfair to demand that everything be examined. We must be selective and ensure there is debate in the Seanad but must also be selective in ensuring that we debate what needs to be debated.
We do not debate any of it.
No interruptions.
I took the trouble to look at this issue because it is about counterfeit money. There has been a European regulation on this since the Geneva Convention of 1926. I looked at the proposal, going through its 14 articles, to see where it was coming from. There are 27 member states in which the euro is used, by 330 million people.
I refer to motion No. 2.
There is counterfeit money and there are gangs all over the place. It is for the common good of Europe that we have co-ordinated legislation. I took the trouble of looking through this legislation and did not see anything in it with which I disagreed. If Senator Byrne has an issue he wishes to debate I would like to see him tabling a motion in the Chamber tomorrow, saying that he does not think the directive should go through and proposing that we discuss it. We cannot discuss everything and must be selective, which is where the Seanad comes in.
It is not No. 1.
I was provoked into raising that point but-----
Senator Byrne was referring to the motion set out in No. 2.
That is what I am referring to because I took the trouble to go through all the articles and the related debate to see if there was anything relevant. I also took the trouble to see how long and how old the legislation was and discovered it dated back to 1926.
Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
I have, but I ask the Cathaoirleach to indulge me. I did not intend to speak on that motion.
I wish to raise the new major study on air pollution which is caused by people burning solid fuel. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, announced this study which is a North-South co-operative one. There are many studies being done at present on air pollution, smoky coal and everything that causes such pollution. Will the Leader organise a debate on this in the Seanad? There has been a ban on smoky coal in certain towns since 1990. The Minister, Deputy Hogan, has added seven more towns; I will not list them because everybody knows their identity. It has been shown that there are 350 fewer deaths per year as a result of the ban. I want the Seanad to debate the benefits of keeping people out of hospital and ensuring there is education on air pollution in general, not only that caused by smoky coal. There are many additives that cause air pollution.
B'fhéidir go bhfuil réiteach agam ar an bhfadhb atá ag na Seanadóirí anseo agus moladh le déanamh don Cheannaire. Obviously we are discussing today's Order of Business, but we will not get a chance to speak about this before tomorrow. There is a gaping hole in tomorrow's schedule tomorrow morning from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. where we have no sitting. Can I suggest that the motion Senator Byrne mentioned could be taken between 10.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. tomorrow? I do not see why we should have that type of gap in our schedule.
The Arbour Hill commemoration.
Gabh mo leithscéal - apologies.
That was an own goal.
Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh without interruption.
It might be useful to have a debate on the programme for Government because there seems to be some confusion this afternoon. I agree fully with Senator Hayden's sentiments on the Focus Ireland report highlighting that homelessness in Dublin has doubled in the past 12 months, which is a very serious issue. I would argue that has arisen as a result of the Government's austerity programme. She also called for a debate on upward-only rent reviews. From my recollection that used to be in the programme for Government. Perhaps we should have a debate on the programme for Government because I have been approached by a number of business people in Galway who are suffering severely from the lack of Government action to legislate over upward-only rent reviews.
Yesterday in Dingle I spoke in a debate on mental health issues along with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. The focus was on the mental health of politicians and how we make decisions in these Houses and whether we are in a fit capacity to do so. It touched on issues such as mental disabilities, depression, etc. and also people making decisions under the influence of alcohol or other substances. Although the Minister of State was speaking on this, we have seen very little action on the 440 new social worker jobs that were supposed to have been put in place to try to support people in the community with similar issues. I call for a debate on mental health issues and what has happened to A Vision for Change. It has been seven years in the coming and is very slow to be implemented. We can also discuss our own capacity to make decisions in these Houses from a mental health perspective.
I support the call by the Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons for regulation in the area of cosmetic surgery. I find it hard to believe that in this day and age, any doctor is free to carry out certain plastic surgery procedures without having any plastic surgery training. There are dubious practices in the area of dermal fillers about which an independent review was carried out in the UK last month. We need not go into the specifics of it. Suffice it to say that there is a possibility of a scare within the industry similar to that over the recent PIP breast implant scandal. I call on the Minister to legislate in this area so that we have regulation of plastic surgeons, including a specific specialist register of plastic surgeons.
I wish to mention an initiative launched today by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan. We are coming into a period in which we will be commemorating many different events that happened approximately 100 years ago. He has officially launched Century Ireland, a major new online news service which will chart both ground-breaking and everyday news events which took place from the time of the Home Rule debate to the Civil War, from 1913 to 1923. This will go live on rte.ie/centuryireland and RTE has a live Twitter feed to allow people to live in the zone and understand what daily life was like in 1913. I thoroughly recommend that people, including teachers and school students, engage with this fascinating and innovative tool. Day by day it will highlight stories relating to things taking place exactly a century ago, be it Home Rule or interesting stories such as a typhoid outbreak or even a suffragette being convicted for defacing a statue of John Redmond. It is a great initiative and I praise RTE, Boston College, the Minister and all involved in bringing it into being.
I express my concern over major delays in orthopaedic surgical procedures, particularly in the Munster and southern region. Last week I was contacted by a man aged approximately 60 who has been waiting three years for a hip replacement.
He had an accident when he was younger and he told me he sleeps with the help of morphine patches and other medication.
I was alarmed to discover today that there are approximately 5,000 people in County Limerick waiting for orthopaedic surgical procedures. A review of many of those cases found that some of those people had already died because they were waiting so long while others went privately. Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, to come to the House to respond to the appalling delays? When he was the Opposition spokesman for heath, he quite properly called for the elimination of waiting lists, in particular for the elderly waiting for these procedures. This commitment was also made in the programme for Government. We are now in the third year of this Government so I ask that the Minister come to the House, in particular to address the huge delays being experienced by people waiting for knee and hip replacements, some of whom are very elderly. That situation cannot continue. These people seem to be forgotten as a result of the current difficulties in the health service. It is an issue worthy of urgent debate.
I welcome the results of the study published this morning by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, showing that more than 75% of school leavers in 2010 went on to continue their education in higher education institutions, in training programmes, in further education facilities or in second level schools. The report provides very valuable information on the education pathways of students on completion of second level education and I welcome the breakdown in the numbers.
However, I express concern about early school leavers. While it is great we have these numbers, we should delve further into them. I understand there will be series of reports into school leaving and exactly where our young people go. I was somewhat surprised to learn that, contrary to popular opinion, more girls leave school early than boys. More than 20% of girls leave school early, which I found quite surprising.
A higher percentage of children who attend fee paying schools and Irish schools go on to third level education. I am concerned about people who attend DEIS schools and VEC schools where the numbers seem to be down. Sometimes we need to educate students about the possibilities and the scope there for them after school. I would welcome a debate on this whole issue and on the results in the report issued today.
I echo what Senators Moran and Hayden said. Are there pressures on girls in school not to display academic ability? Is it unfashionable or otherwise? If so, that would be a serious loss of ability and talent. Last week, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, published a report on easing the transition from second level to third level, which might form the basis on which we could discuss these issues. The aspect which would concern me is that in contrast with Finland, we do not tie the qualifications of teachers to the subjects they teach. The step up from second level to third level, on which the Minister has reported, is difficult but to try to go from a subject where the teacher does not have a qualification in his or her degree to third level is an impossible gap to bridge and that should form part of the discussion. Arising from the report and from what Senators Hayden and Moran said, we could have a very worthwhile debate on that transition from second level to third level.
Is the higher diploma in education an appropriate qualification any longer? Should teachers not stay in their subject area and upgrade in mathematics or whatever rather than do a second year in the higher diploma in education, which is being considered currently? There has been much emphasis on administrative, financial and other aspects but academic and intellectual aspects count as well.
In Finland, a person has a masters degree in the subject he or she teaches. This is a widely admired model and perhaps the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, might examine it. I hope he will accept the invitation from both sides of the House to discuss the transition because the report is very important and it deserves a discussion.
The sentiments expressed by Senator Byrne are understandable but we can approve the motion because it is simply about the committee's work programme and priorities. We have confidence in those of our colleagues who sit on that committee. Issues pertaining to tax harmonisation, the euro and banking union are clearly important and I am sure the Leader would facilitate a debate in early course on any or all of those topics. There is no need to hold up the committee's work programme. Senators from both sides of the House sit on that committee and I am sure we have faith in them.
It is always valuable to listen to the contributions made by other Members based on their research, specialist skills or observations. Senator Mullen made a worthwhile contribution when he pointed out an error in a statement from a Minister. All he asked was for the Minister to come to the House to discuss the matter. I did not hear any comment or response that would suggest he was wrong in what he was saying, but there was a very broad sweep of the brush in response, with the Iona Institute, excommunication, Cardinal Brady and a host of other issues dropped right into the middle of it. I am not clear what this was about but I know that the Iona Institute is not here to respond and I think Members will agree that a discussion of excommunication is for another forum. I certainly think it is wrong to mention Cardinal Brady when it is possible that there was a misinterpretation or misrepresentation of what he said. I would not like to think that any of us who wish in the future to make a contribution in this House might decline to do so because we fear being misrepresented in an extreme way. I hope we will continue to act in this House as we have always done, that is, by accepting all kinds of opinions and views. The only way we can reach any kind of understanding or consensus is by respecting each others' views.
I join other speakers in calling for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to come into the House. The issue I would like to discuss with him is planning permissions which are about to expire. The collapse in the building industry over the past four years has been astronomical and people are applying for continuation of planning permission to develop housing schemes and individual houses. They must apply before the five-year period of the grant lapses. I am concerned that in some cases people who apply to their local authorities to extend the length of their permission period are being refused. In a number of cases, when unsuccessful applicants brought their cases to An Bord Pleanála, they were refused on appeal and, as a result, had to go through the courts to retain permission. I want to know whether the same conditions will apply where legal requirements have not changed in the intervening period. We should do all we can to revive the building industry. A debate is urgently needed on standardising what local authorities should be doing throughout the country to revitalise the building industry.
I welcome the statement from Deputy Charles Flanagan yesterday that amendments will be taken to the protection of life during pregnancy Bill 2013 when it comes before the Oireachtas.
It has been useful to hear some of the amendments that have been proposed over the weekend. I liked the one about legal representation for the unborn which would make the Bill consistent with our Constitution in that there would be an equal right to life for both the mother and the unborn child. Also, we need to face up to the fact that in the current proposed legislation there are no time limits, which would be barbaric. That is consistent with the Supreme Court judgment and amendments in those areas would be most useful.
I have a particular question following the very useful input by Professor Fergusson - the New Zealand researcher in the area of abortion and mental health effects - on "Morning Ireland" this morning during which he confirmed that among women who have abortions there is an increased rate of suicidal thoughts compared with women who have brought babies to term. I liked that he said there was a real need to consider the real reasons that women seek abortions. We have an opportunity this afternoon and I would like if the Leader would influence that. This afternoon, the Joint Committee on Health and Children is sitting and will consider who to bring before it.
That is a matter for the health committee.
I realise that.
Senator, have you a question for the Leader?
I have a question. I would like if the Leader would convey my wishes - I have made a formal request to the committee - that women who have had abortions, including women who regret their abortions and women who are happy with them, would be brought before the committee in camera.
Senator, that is a matter for the health committee.
It is a matter for the committee and it is a matter for this House.
It is a matter for the committee, Senator.
It is a matter for our country.
It is a matter for the committee who it brings before it; it is not a matter for this House. There is a joint committee set up and it is a matter for that committee to bring before it whoever it requires. Have you a question for the Leader?
I beg your indulgence, but I wish to finish my point. We have a moment in our history where we could make a real difference in finding a way to reduce the number of women who need abortions in future by listening to women who have had abortions and why they had to take that lonely journey and road, often alone.
In recent years we have seen a significant increase in the number of people with disabilities taking part in sports. Let us consider the Special Olympics and more recently the Paralympic Games and the benefits they bring from a health perspective. I call on the Leader to facilitate at some stage before the end of term a debate with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport specifically on activity and inclusion of people with disabilities in all sports. I note the fact that several million euro have been made available in the past 18 months to upgrade swimming pools throughout the country to make them accessible to people with disabilities. Before the end of term I hope to have representatives from the Cara APA Centre at the Institution of Technology in Tralee make a presentation here on its worldwide ground-breaking research on the inclusivity of people with physical disabilities in sport. I also hope to facilitate a presentation in the audiovisual room from the three main sporting organisations in the country, the GAA, the FAI and the IRFU, on the significant behind-the-scenes work they are doing to encourage the various units of their organisations to engage with people with disabilities and facilitate equal access to sport.
The health of our nation is remarkably important and the health and physical activity of people with disabilities is an area that needs to be further developed. It needs resources to be channelled by central government. A public private partnership between the main sporting bodies and the Government in this area is necessary because we are all aware of the equality that participation in sport can create.
I strongly support Senator Conway's call for us to do everything possible to give equal access to sport for people with disabilities. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending some time in the company of a woman who spends a good deal of her spare time working with people with disabilities and involving them in sporting activities in my home town of Ballinasloe.
I wish to remind the House of the tragedy that took place two weeks ago in Bangladesh, where over 400 people lost their lives and over 1,000 are unaccounted for or injured as the result of a horrific fire in the Rama Plaza clothing manufacturing facility.
There is a danger that as media attention moves focus from that tragedy we would forget about it. There is a deadline of 15 May for putting in place a fire and building safety plan to which government, unions and employers are signing up. It is essential that Irish retailers which operate on our high streets sign up to that agreement. All of them are active in the Single European Market. The conditions in the factory are of huge concern. As customers, we have an obligation to put pressure on the stores to which we give our custom. We should keep pressure on them to ensure they sign up to the agreement to which I referred, and that they sign up to ethical trading and sustainable employment conditions for those working in the factories. As politicians, we need to keep this issue on the agenda at national and European levels. It is appalling that people lost their lives in such appalling conditions, and we have a responsibility to ensure this never happens again.
I refer to the European Movement report published today which indicates the attendance of Irish Ministers at EU meetings has increased dramatically and is now at 97%. Ireland is joint second for attendance at all EU meetings dealing with EU affairs. The report also indicates that, out of the 20 committees in the European Parliament, Ireland has an MEP on only 14, leaving six committees with no Irish representation. It highlights the reason, now more than ever, that we need to scrutinise EU legislation.
It comes back to a point I raised more than 18 months ago about the need for us, as part of the Oireachtas, to become part of that process. In fairness to the Leader, he has made representations on the point I made, namely, using the Seanad as part of that process. I ask him to renew that call to the Taoiseach. Even if there is a decision - I am not convinced there will be - to abolish the Seanad, we still have three years remaining in office and can be used effectively to monitor EU legislation and directives. I ask the Leader to request again that we use the process in the Seanad to examine such legislation and set up a proper structure for doing so.
I congratulate the Taoiseach on the outstanding manner in which he is conducting himself at Cabinet level, politically and across the nation in regard to the upcoming legislation on the X case. It is a most difficult, sacred, profound and individual area. He is articulating it brilliantly, and has remained sane, dignified, mannered and graceful, despite evident agendas, extremes of argument from pro-choice and pro-life sides and alarmist behaviour from some Members of this House and the Lower House masquerading as reason. He has shown himself to be a talented, intelligent, communicative and brave leader, which I always thought he was. I wished to put that on the record.
After all, did he not appoint the Senator.
That has nothing to do with it.
Not at all. Of course not.
I call Senator Sheahan without interruption.
It was effective, though.
The Taoiseach made a good choice.
A very good choice, and a good-----
Senator Leyden, please. I have called Senator Sheahan without interruption or cross-fire.
I was commending Senator O'Donnell's brilliant delivery.
Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Education and Skills to attend the House to clarify his Department's systems for monitoring the performance of school principals? Recently, the chief schools inspector raised the prospect of annual reviews of the performance of teachers and principals. The Minister could clarify his thoughts on this proposal. The chief inspector, Mr. Harold Hislop, pointed out that unlike some other countries, Ireland has no system of regular evaluation of school staff. It would be proactive of the Minister to discuss same with the House.
Senator Byrne called for a debate on No. 2. I will provide the background. In its annual report on the operation of the European Union (Scrutiny) Act 2002, which was laid before the Houses on 20 July 2012, the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs recommended that a sectoral committee should identify on an annual basis those proposals, both legislative and non-legislative, from the European Commission's annual work programme that it would like to have subjected to detailed scrutiny. It also recommended that an agreed list of priorities should be forwarded to it for consideration and on which it would report to the Houses. It recommended that the agreed list should be adopted by way of a motion of both Houses regarding the committee's work programme.
My notes come from the committee, which has asked that we pass this motion. However, if the House wishes a debate, I will amend the Order of Business so that the debate can be taken after No. 3. I cannot guarantee that a Minister will attend, but it is only a motion from a joint committee. I will accede to the request of the acting leader of the Opposition.
I am sure that the Priory Hall families are blameless. It is a matter for Dublin City Council. As a court case is under way, it would be inappropriate to debate the matter and I will not accept the proposed amendment to the Order of Business. I understand that the Minister for-----
No second amendment was proposed.
I believed that Senator Byrne had proposed a second amendment on bringing-----
I stated that I would vote against No. 2 if we did not get a reasonable response from the Leader. No amendment to the Order of Business was proposed.
I understand that the Minister will introduce a pyrite Bill during this session. I am sure that it will be discussed at length in the House.
Senator Hayden raised the issue of the 12 Pamela Scott shops that have been saved as a result of negotiations that saw their rents reduced by 40%. I noted her points.
Senator Hayden also referred, as did Senators Jim D'Arcy, Moran and Barrett, to the report on the educational outcomes for children in care and to the report on school leavers carried out by the Department of Education and Skills recently. As Senator Barrett suggested, I will invite the Minister to attend the House to discuss the reports as well as the question of the transition between second and third levels.
Senator Mullen and several other Senators spoke on matters pertaining to the protection of life during pregnancy Bill. I do not wish to comment on those points. I am sure all those points can be raised in the course of the Bill, and the heads of the Bill will be debated by the Joint Committee on Health and Children. We will have legislation here before the summer recess. The points raised by a number of Senators can be raised in the context of those debates and there will be ample time to discuss that Bill when it eventually comes to this House.
Senator Leyden spoke on Europe Week, and that is why we will have Ireland's European Commissioner here tomorrow. I am sure we will have a full attendance for Ireland's Commissioner.
Absolutely.
I will ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to give an update on airports and regional airports in general.
Including Waterford.
And Galway.
Senator Leyden did not ask about Waterford.
I am not a bit interested in the Waterford one. I am only interested in Knock. Let the Leader worry about Waterford and I will worry about Knock.
Senator Leyden was very well spotted in Knock over the weekend.
I thank the Leader. Who has more time to be there than me?
Senator Keane spoke about the positive effects of the ban on smoking and called for a debate on air pollution with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan. I will bring that matter to the Minister's attention.
Senator Ó Clochartaigh asked why we are not meeting until 12.30 p.m. tomorrow. I am very surprised that a member of Sinn Féin did not know that we are honouring our dead in 1916 tomorrow morning and that is the reason we are not meeting until 12.30 p.m., but I am sure he will be here for the European Commissioner at 12.30 p.m.
I would have to be here.
I have requested that we have a further debate on mental health issues. We have had approximately four debates on the subject but it needs constant debate in the House and I will try to arrange that.
Senator Noone spoke on cosmetic surgery and the regulation and proper registration of plastic surgeons, I will bring that matter to the attention of the Minister for Health. The Senator also commended the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Deenihan, on a recent initiative regarding Century Ireland.
Senator O'Donovan spoke about the delays in orthopaedic procedures in Limerick and the waiting lists. The Minister set up a special delivery unit which is yielding major success in the majority of hospitals. Limerick obviously has some problems, but I am sure that matter will be addressed and I will bring it to the Minister's attention. I do not intend to comment on the matters Senator Ó Murchú raised regarding the protection of life during pregnancy Bill.
Senator Brennan raised planning permissions that are due to expire. I will bring that matter to the attention of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Senator Conway spoke about people with disabilities, their participation in sports and the need for further development in that regard. I will invite the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ring, to give the House an update on that very important matter.
Senator Mullins spoke about the Bangladesh tragedy and urged retailers to sign up to an agreement on health and safety, building regulations and letting them know their obligations in that regard.
Senator Burke raised the European Movement report indicating that there is 97% attendance of Irish Ministers. That is to be welcomed and is a massive improvement in that area.
If only we had the same in the Seanad.
The fact that there are six EU committees in Europe which have no Irish representatives has been raised by our MEPs in their deliberations with this House.
The engagements we have had to date with our MEPs have been fruitful for them and the House.
Senator Sheahan called on the Minister for Education and Skills to attend the House to outline his views on the issue of monitoring school principals. Perhaps that can be raised in the context of the other debate we are trying to arrange on education issues.
Senator Thomas Byrne has moved an amendment to the Order of Business: "That a debate on the Priory Hall residents and the efforts that the Government is making to resolve the issue be taken today". Is the amendment being pressed?
In light of the Leader's reasonableness on the other matter and in light of the court proceedings that are under way, as pointed by Senator Hayden and myself, I withdraw the amendment.
I thank the Leader for his reasonable approach to No. 2. The Seanad is not a rubber-stamp for these issues. I also thank my party's spokesperson on European affairs for indicating his immediate availability to participate in this debate.
The Leader has also proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 2 be taken after No. 3".