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Vol. 196 Wednesday, No. 2 17 June 2009 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Wednesday, 17 June 2009. Business of Seanad ………………………………41 Order of Business …………………………………41 Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion …………………57 Death of former Member: Expressions of Sympathy ……………………65 Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008: Committee Stage …………………71 Visit of Chinese Delegation ……………………………88 Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008: Committee Stage (resumed) ……………88 Information and Communications Technologies: Motion …………………104 Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008: Committee Stage (resumed) ……………126 Adjournment Matters: Domestic Violence ………………………………156 Early Childhood Education ……………………………159 School Day Expansion ……………………………163 SEANAD E´ IREANN ———— De´ Ce´adaoin, 17 Meitheamh 2009. Wednesday, 17 June 2009. ———— Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 10.30 a.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Business of Seanad. An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator David Norris that, on the motion for the Adjournment of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health and Children to revisit the drastic budget cut of \10,000 per month to the Meath women’s refuge and support services which will leave many vulnerable citizens exposed to risk. I have also received notice from Senator Fidelma Healy Eames of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health and Children to outline how she plans to address the current shortcomings of the pre-school education scheme planned to start next year, namely, the availability of places given the funding cap; the availability of appropriate specialist teach- ing personnel; the proposed pupil-teacher ratio and a pre-school curriculum associated with a quality pre-school education. I have also received notice from Senator Cecilia Keaveney of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Science to explore, with his Northern counter- part, the expansion of the school day by bringing in outside organisations for out-of-hours learning, which concept is working well in the North. I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion on the Adjournment and they will be taken at the conclusion of business. Order of Business. Senator Donie Cassidy: The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re renewal of provisions of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act; tributes to a former leader; No. 2, Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008 — Committee Stage; and No. 35, Private Members’ business, motion 32 regarding the information and communication technology sectors. It is proposed that No. 1 shall be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and shall conclude within 40 minutes of the Minister’s introductory remarks. Spokespersons may speak for five minutes. The tributes to a former Member will be taken at the conclusion of No. 1. No. 2 shall commence after the tributes and shall adjourn not later than 5 p.m., if not previously concluded. No. 35, Private Members’ motion, shall be taken from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. No. 2 shall resume at the conclusion of this motion. 41 Order of 17 June 2009. Business Senator Fidelma Healy Eames: Since last September we have been fixated on using tax- payers’ money to help the banks. Anglo Irish Bank is enjoying \7.5 billion of taxpayers’ money and one must ask, for what end? It is time we turned our attention to helping home owners who now face real challenges in meeting their mortgage payments. The banks have signed up to a moratorium not to foreclose for six to 12 months after the home owner gets into difficulty, but with rapidly rising unemployment — the ESRI predicts we will have 550,000 unemployed by the end of 2010 — reducing income as a result of levies, the fact, according to today’s newspaper, that families are \43,000 less well off than two years ago, and huge personal levels of indebtedness, time is fast running out. This is likely to affect tens of thousands of home owners. Recent research in the UK showed that the loss of the family home and unemployment are strongly associated with mental health issues. Our nation faces a huge, economic, socially stress- ful time. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Finance to the House before the summer recess to debate how the banks and Government can work together to find creative ways of helping home owners in difficulty during the recession. This is in everyone’s interest. There are ways to deal with the issue, but they have not been considered in this country. The UK Govern- ment, for example, has put £1.2 billion into a home owner mortgage support scheme. Such initiatives could be a win-win solution because they give home owners the dignity they need to be able to hold onto their homes and the banks can avoid foreclosures and keep performing loans on their books, which is what they want. The Minister has not intervened enough. He has been disappointing, even with regard to fixed-rate mortgages. He said his job was not to intervene but to regulate. However, he has not done that either. I am disappointed. It is time for the Minister to show respect for taxpayers’ money and protect people’s homes as well as the banks. The issue of foreign adoptions remains unresolved. Two disturbing items of news have emerged in recent days which further threaten Irish adoptive families. On Friday, the Vietna- mese Government revoked the licence of the Cork-based Helping Hands adoption mediation agency, which is the liaison agency between Vietnam and Irish families who want to adopt children in Vietnam. The licence has been revoked because the Minister of State has not renewed the bilateral agreement on time. What is even more disturbing is the discovery of the text of article 25 of the bilateral agreement, which says—— An Cathaoirleach: The Senator’s time is up. Senator Fidelma Healy Eames: May I conclude? An Cathaoirleach: No, the time is three minutes for party leaders and two minutes for other Senators. My hands are tied rigidly by that. Senator Fidelma Healy Eames: With respect, I wish to finish my point. The article says the bilateral should have been automatically renewed unless revoked in writing. An Cathaoirleach: Please, the Senator’s time is concluded. I call Senator Joe O’Toole. Senator Fidelma Healy Eames: I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business to ask the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Barry Andrews, to come to the House to be asked whether Ireland has cancelled the bilateral agreement in writing, thereby preventing foreign adoptions from Vietnam. Senator Joe O’Toole: We heard again today about another cutback on social services in rural Ireland, with the decision to cut back or review bus routes in all parts of the country. It should 42 Order of 17 June 2009. Business be recognised that Ireland is a place where we have both urban and rural communities. We have had a cutback in bus services in the capital and now the bus services in rural areas are to be reviewed. It should be recognised that bus services are a crucial part of the lifestyle of people in rural areas, whether in Du´ n Chaoin, Moville, Castletownbere, Waterford or Wexford. Therefore, this cutback is one more brick being taken from the wall of support there for them. Bus services are as important an artery of living for rural communities as broadband is and should be. The issue must be dealt with. I appeal to politicians from all sides in both Houses not to be sucked into making major demands for a bus route in their constituencies. That is what always happens. This is a national issue in line with public policy. It is socially and ecologically important to the lives of ordinary people and, therefore, concurs with energy, social and green policy. Cutbacks in this area are not a clever saving of money, but rather something for which we will pay an even greater price. We will have more cars on the road and people will be in a less secure position. In particular, the cutbacks will hurt people without money or transport of their own and elderly people who cannot or will not drive. I ask the Leader to ensure we have a full debate on the issue in the House. This is just one more example of how easy it is to turn out the lights in rural Ireland and no one says anything. I saw in one of today’s newspapers that there is huge demand to restore a service in one part of Ireland, but I will not mention where. That is not the way to do it. The issue affects every one of us and all our constituencies. We should inform the Government this is something we will oppose. This is the kind of ridiculous move that embarrasses and undermines Govern- ment and ensures people have less trust in politics. Senator Alex White: Once again, today, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin has taken what can only be described as a leadership role in the debate on the future of education, especially of primary school education, by describing the position of the Catholic church. He appears to be ahead of the debate in many cases, certainly ahead of many people who purport to speak on behalf of church interests in this vital area. The archbishop has described the situation with regard to primary school education as a near monopoly of control by the Catholic church and has said that it does not reflect current realities.