Vol. 230 Wednesday, No. 8 12 March 2014 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 12/03/2014A00100Business of Seanad 2 12/03/2014A00400Order of Business 368 12/03/2014K00050Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge: Statements 385 12/03/2014R00100Energy Policy: Motion 398 12/03/2014EE00800Adjournment Matters 432 12/03/2014EE00850Building Regulations Amendments 432 12/03/2014FF00250Small and Medium Enterprises Supports 434 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 12 Márta 2014 Wednesday, 12 March 2014 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 12/03/2014A00100Business of Seanad 12/03/2014A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Kathryn Reilly that, on the motion for the Adjournment of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to discuss the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and if amendments will be made to include architectural technologists in the regulations I have also received notice from Senator Tom Sheahan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide grant aid for replanting of forestry damaged by the recent storms I have also received notice from Senator Lorraine Higgins of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Finance to devise a policy wherein the Central Bank grants a banking licence to a new SME-focused bank I have also received notice from Senator Darragh O’Brien of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide a school warden and a fully accessible crossing point at Skerries Educate Together primary school I regard the matters raised by Senators Kathryn Reilly, Tom Sheahan and Lorraine Higgins as suitable for discussion on the Adjournment and they will be taken at the conclusion of busi- ness I regret that I have had to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator Darragh O’Brien as the Minister has no official responsibility in the matter 12/03/2014A00300Senator Darragh O’Brien: Is it because of what happened yesterday? 2 Seanad Éireann 12/03/2014A00400Order of Business 12/03/2014A00500Senator Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No 1, statements on the 2020 Strategy for the Irish Language, in a change to the original schedule, to be taken at 1145 am and conclude not later than 1 pm, 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 of State to be called on to reply not later than 1250 pm; and No 43, Private Members’ business, motion No 9, motion re energy policy, to be taken at 230 pm and conclude not later than 430 pm 12/03/2014B00100Senator Darragh O’Brien: I will try to behave myself today I will retable that Adjourn- ment matter following the break I refer to the need for a debate on the health service plan I have raised a few instances of what is happening in the health service, as have many other colleagues Last week the case of a seven year old with infantile scoliosos who had lost her medical card was brought to my at- tention She is not entitled to a GP card and the HSE will not even pay for the back brace that she needs That is what is happening on the ground I respectfully ask the Leader again to do his best to get the Minister for Health into the House to outline what is happening in the health service and how services will be delivered this year and, in particular, to discuss the effects of the decisions being made on people such as this seven year old girl She has lost her medical card, but her family cannot afford to pay for the brace that she needs Her father had to pay €1,500 on his credit card for her None of us wants to see this happen and I am certain none of the Government Members wants to see it either However, the House is not sitting tomorrow If the Minister was willing to do so, he would have come to the House before now I, therefore, propose an amendment to the Order of Business, “That the Minister for Health come to the House to discuss the issue of medical card provision, particularly for children and those with long-term and serious illnesses” Thousands of medical cards have been withdrawn Does the Leader agree that it is unhelpful for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to try to undermine the work of the Committee of Public Accounts? All of us agree that Mr Frank Flannery has many questions to answer and that the committee is the forum for him to do this and put his case It is welcome that the Taoiseach and other members of the Government support the call that Mr Flannery appear before the committee, but the Minister has stated the Chairman of the committee is acting politically----- 12/03/2014B00200Senator Paul Coghlan: That was based on a radio broadcast 12/03/2014B00300Senator Darragh O’Brien: Do Government colleagues agree that Mr Flannery has ques- tions to answer about his role as a lobbyist while working for Fine Gael as a strategist and in lobbying Fine Gael and Labour Party Ministers? 12/03/2014B00400Senator Paul Coghlan: That should be left to the Committee of Public Accounts We do not need to discuss the issue here 12/03/2014B00500Senator Darragh O’Brien: Earlier we found out that he was being paid €60,000 a year as a retainer by Philanthropy Ireland to lobby the Government while working as the main man in the main Government party Does the Leader believe he should appear before the Committee of Public Accounts and answer questions? The Chairman of the committee simply asked again that Mr Flannery present himself to it He or any other Chairman of the committee would be 368 12 March 2014 remiss not to do this The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has tried to undermine the work of the committee and muddy the waters by accusing an excel- lent Chairman who has shown himself to be independent and impartial, like the previous Chair- man, former Deputy Bernard Allen All those who served as Chairman of the committee were beyond reproach and took their job seriously Does the Leader agree with the Minister that the Chairman of the committee is acting politically? Will he reaffirm the view that Mr Flannery has questions to answer at the committee and should present himself to it? 12/03/2014B00600Senator Susan O’Keeffe: I pay tribute to Christine Buckley whose death was announced yesterday for her courage and strength in raising the difficult issue of the abuse of children in State institutions She fought her fight with dignity until the end Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time I welcome the Garda Inspectorate’s reform proposals, about which I hope we will hear more later It is reported that the penalty points system will be centralised and subject to regular audit Anybody seeking to terminate penalty points will have do so in a clear and transparent way, which is welcome I welcome Mr Frank Flannery’s decision to resign from the various posts he held, includ- ing the chairmanship of the Forum on Philanthropy He should appear before the Committee on Public Accounts, not least to answer questions about his board membership of TBG Learn- ing and National Learning Network He appears to have been a member of both boards which provide substantial training, which National Learning Network provides though SOLAS, the HSE and the Department of Social Protection He was paid by TBG Learning through his own company, Laragh Consulting There are wheels within wheels Well done to him for resigning from these positions, but he should appear before the Committee of Public Accounts as soon as possible I seek a debate on the issue of inter-country adoption, a subject that has come up again and again Rosita Boland wrote a personal account of her difficulties in this regard in last Satur- day’s edition of The Irish Times Only 11 children were adopted under the post-Hague declara- tion between 2011 and 2013 Clearly, there is a problem Will the Leader ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to come to the House to discuss this issue? I acknowledge that she was in the House recently to take an Adjournment matter, but we should address this issue and have a debate with her on a system that clearly is clearly if there have only been 11 such adop- tions in three years It is causing considerable stress and heartache for the families concerned 12/03/2014B00700Senator Sean D. Barrett: I note Senator Susan O’Keeffe’s comments on penalty points Will the Minister for Justice and Equality come to the House to debate the material that is com- ing to light, including the report that will be published later and the work of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Garda Inspectorate? The problem the House highlighted, with which the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport agreed, was the categorisation of penalty points attributed to no licence That seems to have been due to people, advisedly or otherwise, not bringing their licences with them to court which resulted in the penalty points not being applied to them In 2012 approximately 40% of motorists avoided penalty points through this loophole Between 2010 and 2012 a total of 84,000 people claimed they had no licence to ensure