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Vol. 189 Thursday, No. 3 10 April 2008 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Thursday, 10 April 2008. Business of Seanad ………………………………139 Order of Business …………………………………139 Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2008: First Stage …………………156 Kidnapping and Detention of Ms Ingrid Betancourt: Motion …………………156 Adjournment Matter: Telecommunications Services …………………………166 SEANAD E´ IREANN ———— De´ardaoin, 10 Aibrea´n 2008. Thursday, 10 April 2008. ———— Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 10.30 a.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Business of Seanad. An Cathaoirleach: I have notice from Senator Maria Corrigan that, on the Adjournment of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to provide a report on the provision of broadband to the Glencullen area in Dublin, particularly in light of the money recently expended on the installation of fibre optic cabling which would facili- tate such provision. I regard the matter raised as suitable for discussion on the Adjournment and it will be taken at the conclusion of business. Order of Business. Senator Donie Cassidy: The Order of Business is No. 16, motion No. 32 re the kidnapping and detention of Ms Ingrid Betancourt. It is proposed to take this item at the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude not later than one hour from the conclusion of the Order of Business. Senators may speak for seven minutes and may share time, with agreement of the House. Senator Liam Twomey: Will the Leader ask the Minister for Finance to address this House twice a year on the state of the economy? Since March 2007, an extra 2,000 people in County Wexford are on the dole, which is a large figure. This is the human side of what is going wrong in the economy and it is being replicated throughout the country. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Health and Children before the House to discuss the issue raised by Senator Fidelma Healy Eames regarding the prevention of cervical cancer? The national cervical cancer screening programme plans to use laboratories abroad rather than invest in laboratories in this country, even though those laboratories abroad could misdiagnose up to 10% of patients. In other words, they could tell 10% more of our patients than our own laboratories that they have cancer when they do not have it and that they do not have cancer when they do. This is a major concern. The Rebecca O’Malley case and what happened in Limerick showed us that we cannot allow this type of situation to develop. With regard to the Lisbon treaty, when the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Roche, returns to the House I would like him to discuss a particular issue I feel is important. We know the EU treaties have been good from the point of view of business. 139 Order of 10 April 2008. Business [Senator Liam Twomey.] However, when it comes to civil rights, concerns are raised that the European treaties may not serve people as well. In the Watts judgment, the European Court of Justice stated that an EU patient is entitled to treatment abroad if he or she must wait too long for treatment in his or her home country. My reading of the Lisbon treaty is that this right will now be denied to Irish citizens. It is an extremely important issue if we are introducing a treaty which would deny people their civil rights to some degree. It must be clarified by the Minister of State. If I am misreading it I apologise, but I have a feeling this is exactly what is happening. The following is an issue which we must discuss in the House. The Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction first sat seven years ago and none of its major recommendations has been implemented. I received a letter sent to a number of GPs throughout the country. It draws attention to a new one-stop service which is described as a quick and efficient one-day service. This is a one-stop service for abortion. The leaflet includes details on the cost of an abortion in the UK. This is perfectly legal. However, we have no legislation to protect any of my patients who want to go for IVF treatment. If any of my patients suffer from a rare genetic disorder and would like to get pre-implantation genetic testing so they can have a normal baby — I am not talking about choosing blue eyes or blonde hair — this is not available. However, I can legally hand out this leaflet offering a one-stop service for abortion in the UK. That is an issue we need to discuss seriously as well as what is going on with the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction. Senator Joe O’Toole: I thank the Leader for facilitating a brief debate on Ingrid Betancourt. It is much appreciated and is the way we need to conduct our business more often. Over the past two days comments have been made about China, the Olympic Games, Tibet and so on. People have strong views and we need to have a debate. I could make a very strong case about a country in which people cannot practice their religion or politics, cannot be a member of a religious group and so on. I could say that sport and politics are tied together and that we should not have anything to do with it. At the same time I understand the point of view of people such as Senator Quinn and others who have said we should negotiate. We should use the threat of not participating as a lever to negotiate. However, we can do that best in a debate in which people can put their views on the record. I do not claim to have all the knowledge and wisdom on this issue but I have strong views on it. However, that does not mean other people should not have strong views as well. We need to put our cards on the table on this issue and make it clear that none of us called for a boycott of the Olympic Games. We were discussing the opening ceremony. I would like the Leader to consider such a debate. On a number of occasions le dha´ bhliain anuas, we have raised the issue of na deacrachtaı´ a bhaineann le ainm An Daingean, Daingean Uı´ Chu´ is no´ Dingle. Bhı´omar den tuaraim go raibh an Aire Comhshaoil, Oidhreachta agus Rialtais A´ itiu´ il, an Teachta Gormley, chun rud e´igin a dhe´anamh mar gheall ar an a´bhar. We need an update on that. I know the Minister is working on it and has been very open to discussion on it. However, we need to know where it is going and a timeframe. People are getting very anxious about the issue. Senator Dominic Hannigan: I attended the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday at which I co-sponsored with Senator Norris a motion on Tibet calling for dialogue and on which there was unanimous agreement. However, when it came to the issue of a boycott of the Olympic opening ceremony, there was no firm agreement. Some members felt politicians should boycott the ceremony while others called for athletes to be encouraged to boycott it. 140 Order of 10 April 2008. Business I heard the British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, will not attend the opening ceremony and that the French President, Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, has intimated that he too might not attend. I heard Pat Hickey of the Olympic Council of Ireland on radio this morning. He is a man for whom I have a great amount of respect and he is vehemently opposed to a boycott by athletes. People often say this House is not relevant but we need to have a debate on this issue, as the previous speaker said. This issue is very relevant to the people of Ireland and of the world. Will the Leader arrange a debate next week, if possible, on a boycott of the opening ceremony? This week’s The Economist contains a report by the International Monetary Fund on house prices. It states that of all the countries at which it looked, Ireland’s houses are the most overvalued by 30%. Many commentators have forecasted that this may lead to a market correc- tion. The number of people getting into difficulty repaying their mortgages is on the increase. One in six people with the mortgage company Start are at least two months in arrears. I was in London in the 1990s at the time of the property crash there. I saw cases of people having to hand back the keys of their houses because they could not afford the debt in which they found themselves. Will the Leader impress on the Minister that it is vital there is adequate information on debt and restructuring so that if people get into difficulty with their mortgage repayments, they have adequate information? Today is a wonderful day for this island. It marks the tenth anniversary of peace which was achieved only through the hard work and sacrifice of many people. I read the Taoiseach’s article in this morning’s newspaper in which he outlined some of the many benefits that have arisen from that peace. It certainly has improved the quality of life of people throughout this island. We now have real power sharing in operation, cross-Border institutions in place and a police force which has the support of everyone in the North.