Da´Il E´Ireann
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Vol. 682 Thursday, No. 4 14 May 2009 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DA´ IL E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Thursday, 14 May 2009. Requests to move Adjournment of Da´il under Standing Order 32 ……………… 629 Order of Business ……………………………… 630 EU Regulations: Motion …………………………… 642 Industrial Development Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage …………………………… 642 Report and Final Stages …………………………… 642 Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Second Stage (resumed) …………………………… 643 Referral to Select Committee ………………………… 661 Fines Bill 2009: Order for Second Stage …………………………… 661 Second Stage ……………………………… 662 Referral to Select Committee ………………………… 683 Ceisteanna—Questions Minister for Education and Science Priority Questions …………………………… 683 Other Questions …………………………… 692 Private Notice Questions: Job Losses ………………………………… 696 Adjournment Debate Matters …………………………… 703 Adjournment Debate Job Losses ………………………………… 704 Message from Seanad ……………………………… 706 Adjournment Debate (resumed) Private Security Authority ………………………… 706 Higher Education Grants …………………………… 708 School Transport ……………………………… 710 Questions: Written Answers …………………………… 713 DA´ IL E´ IREANN ———— De´ardaoin, 14 Bealtaine 2009. Thursday, 14 May 2009. ———— Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar 10.30 a.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Requests to move Adjournment of Da´il under Standing Order 32. An Ceann Comhairle: Anois, iarratais chun tairisceana a dhe´anamh an Da´il a chur ar athlo´ faoi Bhuan Ordu´ 32. Now we come to requests to move the adjournment of the Da´il under Standing Order 32. Deputy James Bannon: I seek the adjournment of the Da´il under Standing Order 32 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the threat to the education of the poorest children in the State by the proposed reduction in teaching posts and educational supports for the dis- advantaged. There has been no improvement in literacy in this sector since 1980, according to the children’s charity, Barnardos. The restricted codes which denote a linguistic impoverish- ment, combined with economic and resource curtailment, will further enforce the intellectual divide to the detriment of future economic progress in what should be a knowledge-based economy. This is frequently and unrealistically proposed by the Government but will never be realised without an increase in educational attainment across incomes and the social divide and the putting in place of appropriate resources to achieve equity. Deputy Pa´draic McCormack: That sounds good. Deputies: Hear, hear. Deputy Joan Burton: I ask for a debate in respect of SR Technics which now seems to be doomed. Will the Ta´naiste allow a debate under the terms of Standing Order 32? Deputy Martin Ferris: Under Standing Order 32, I seek the adjournment of this House to debate the ongoing situation at Glengad, County Mayo, where local people with genuine objec- tions to the proposed gas pipeline are being treated in a very heavy-handed manner by private security people. The freedom of people, including local fishermen, to move about and engage in their work is being impeded. I call on the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to intervene and to ensure that a full public inquiry is held in order to address all objections. Deputy Dan Neville: I seek the adjournment of the Da´il under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of national importance, namely, that with regard to the Monageer tragedy there was failure by the Health Service Executive and the social services to complete a suicide risk assess- ment which would have superficially identified ten indicators. These, combined, indicate high 629 Order of 14 May 2009. Business [Deputy Dan Neville.] risk of suicide and the consequential need for the intervention of the mental health services and such an action would have saved the lives of Mr. Dunne, his wife and two children. In addition, there was failure by the Minister for Health and Children to include a psychiatrist in the Monageer inquiry team. An Ceann Comhairle: Tar e´is breithnithe a dhe´anamh ar na nitheardaithe, nı´l siad in ord faoi Bhuan Ordu´ 32. Having considered the matters raised they are not in order under Standing Order 32. Order of Business. The Ta´naiste: It is proposed to take No. 16, motion re proposed approval by Da´il E´ ireann for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European asylum support office; No. 22, Industrial Development Bill 2008 [Seanad] — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; No. 21, Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed); No. 3, Fines Bill 2009 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 16 shall be decided without debate and that the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of No. 22 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 1.30 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in respect of amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Ta´naiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. An Ceann Comhairle: There are two proposals to be put to the House today. Is No.16, motion re proposed approval by Da´il E´ ireann for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European asylum support office, agreed? Deputy Richard Bruton: We are not happy with these two motions, namely, No. 16 which is being sought without debate and the subsequent guillotine. The House needs to set aside time to debate the imminent disappearance of hopes of recovery of the jobs in SR Technics. As the Ta´naiste will know, the company has signalled the sale of key assets in this company which will pull the leg out from under the various proposals that have developed by the IDA. Many feel that the Government sleepwalked into this crisis. An Ceann Comhairle: I cannot have a debate now. Deputy Richard Bruton: I believe I am entitled to give my reasons for proposing—— An Ceann Comhairle: A brief reason. Deputy Richard Bruton: We need to have a debate because——- Deputy James Reilly: Hear, hear. Deputy Richard Bruton: ——significant State money will go to fund the redundancy package of \15 million. The trade unions have signalled they believe the Government did not make sufficient effort to recover the jobs. Many feel that SRT has not co-operated to the extent necessary and that it has motives other than the recovery of employment. This is vital. It concerns 1,100 jobs on the north side at a time when we simply cannot afford the haemorrhag- ing of jobs. Deputies: Hear, hear. 630 Order of 14 May 2009. Business Deputy Richard Bruton: There is a desire in the House to have time to discuss this and see whether, even at this late stage, anything can be retrieved. Deputy Joan Burton: Before anything is agreed on the Order of Business, I would like to have a commitment from the Ta´naiste that in the House today she will discuss what is another jobs disaster for the Dublin region. It concerns not only the north side of Dublin but also the counties of Meath, Louth and Kildare and surrounding areas where many people of the 1,200 people employed by SR Technics live. This Government seems to be helpless in the face of a strategy by the company—— An Ceann Comhairle: I cannot have a general debate on this now. Deputy Joan Burton: ——-to take assets out of Ireland, asset strip the Irish company and only leave the base of the skilled workers — 1,200 men — with nothing to do. It is a tragedy for the families involved and the economy in a week when the Dublin Airport Authority has announced a further 400 redundancies. Will the Ta´naiste come into the Da´il today before we agree to anything on the Order of Business—— An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy has made her point. Deputy Joan Burton: ——to see whether we can work out a strategy for the 1,000 workers at SR Technics who will be unemployed. From now on it will cost the State at least \20 million a year in addition to the \15 million it will pay out in redundancy payments. It is a no-brainer that the Ta´naiste should put a package together to try to salvage something for the economy of the greater Dublin region. An Ceann Comhairle: We cannot have a debate on the matter now. The Deputy has made her point. Deputy Aengus O´ Snodaigh: I echo what the two Deputies have said. I, too, reject the Order of Business, unless a commitment is given by the Ta´naiste that we will have a debate on how the Government has allowed a viable, strategic and world-class Irish industry to be destroyed by multinational vultures. I also urge that we have a debate in order that we can show the absolute failure of the Ta´naiste, a waster of time and a waster of jobs—— An Ceann Comhairle: We cannot have a general debate now. (Interruptions). Deputy Aengus O´ Snodaigh: Over 1,000 jobs in SR Technics have been wasted by the Government when there was a possibility of ensuring they could be sustained. Deputy Dick Roche: Deputy O´ Snodaigh is the waster. Deputy Aengus O´ Snodaigh: The Ta´naiste is a waster, as is the Government, as anybody working in the industry knows. Deputy Dick Roche: The Deputy and his party sought to destroy the country. (Interruptions). The Ta´naiste: As the Ceann Comhairle knows, there have been two requests to his office and it is for him to decide on time availability for Adjournment debates and private notice 631 Order of 14 May 2009. Business [The Ta´naiste.] questions.