Vol. 181 Tuesday, No. 10 25 October 2005 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Tuesday, 25 October 2005. Business of Seanad ………………………………805 Message from Da´il………………………………805 Order of Business …………………………………805 Social Welfare Consolidation Bill 2005: Motion ………………………820 Salmon Fisheries Report: Statements (resumed)………………………820 Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill Amended by Da´il]: Report and Final Stages …………842 Adjournment Matters: Hospital Services ………………………………847 Health Service Reform ……………………………849 Security of the Elderly ……………………………851 805 806 SEANAD E´ IREANN to the Standing Joint Committee on Consoli- dation Bills, and which also provides for the ———— nomination of additional members, sets the date for the first meeting and allows for agreement on De´ Ma´irt, 25 Deireadh Fo´mhair 2005. more than one section at a time; No. 2, statements Tuesday, 25 October 2005. on the report of the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources ———— on salmon drift netting, draft netting and angling (resumed), to be taken on the conclusion of the Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar Order of Business and to conclude no later than 2.30 p.m. 4.45 p.m., with contributions of Senators not to exceed eight minutes each, and the Minister will ———— be called on to reply no later than five minutes Paidir. before the conclusion of the statements; and No. Prayer. 3, Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 — Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. ———— Mr. Finucane: Many years ago I attended a Business of Seanad. European conference accompanied by the late former Deputy Liam Lawlor and many others. An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from On that occasion I discovered what a larger than Senator Browne that, on the motion for the life character Liam was and what a sense of hum- Adjournment of the House today, he proposes to our he had. In all the years since, when I met him raise the following matter: that sense of humour never deserted him, despite The need for the Minister for Health and his being involved in tribunals. It is with a certain Children to indicate the steps that are being sense of sadness today that we all reflect on how undertaken to honour her commitment made he died tragically thousands of miles away. I in July 2005 to provide additional capital fund- extend the sympathies of my party to his wife ing to St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny. Hazel and family. I have also received notice from Senator Bannon In that context, last weekend was a very bad of the following matter: weekend for a certain section of the media. Most of us were disgusted and appalled at the type of The need for the Minister for Health and media frenzy that seemed to descend on certain Children to give an update as to when she pro- people regarding the facts surrounding the case. poses to establish the regional health forums, In the past there have been many approaches to engaging locally elected members. this House from the media to relax the libel laws. I have also received notice from Senator Reflecting on the weekend, I compliment the Finucane of the following matter: maturity of RTE. Even though some in the House criticised RTE last week, it did not enter The need for the Minister for Community, into that type of media frenzy and did not specu- Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to restore the late on the events surrounding Liam’s sad death. grant of 90% of the cost under the scheme of While representatives of the newspaper in ques- community support for older people as the tion have apologised, much damage has been reduction of the grant to \300 is causing an undue financial burden on old age pensioners, done. I very much regret that in a situation like and if he would create an emergency fund to this people do not empathise with the people be made available for security alarms to be fit- affected by such tragedy — the victims have wives ted when the urgent need arises. and families in many cases. Whereas all of us entering into political life accept that in the con- I regard the matters raised by the Senators as text of the “slings and arrows of outrageous suitable for discussion on the Adjournment and fortune” Shakespeare described we perhaps suf- they will be taken at the conclusion of business. fer at times from unfair criticism, we all try to protect our wives and families from this type of Message from Da´il. unfair criticism. I very much regret what hap- An Cathaoirleach: Da´il E´ ireann has passed the pened over the weekend. It is unfortunate. Land Bill 2004 without amendment. We know what is happening within the media. There seems to be extreme competition between the tabloids and broadsheets. If we are going Order of Business. down the road the media in England have gone Ms O’Rourke: The Order of Business is No. 1, down over many years, I seriously regret it. There a motion, to be taken without debate, which are probably certain pressures applying now to refers the Social Welfare Consolidation Bill 2005 establish a press council. My party would support 807 Order of 25 October 2005. Business 808 [Mr. Finucane.] has said this many times and is proven right again the establishment of an independent press on this issue. council. Over the weekend it was not right for Mr. Ms Tuffy: As a Lucan-based representative I Flood, as the ex-chairman of the tribunal—— express my sympathy to Liam Lawlor’s wife and his children on their sad loss. Mr. Lawlor was a An Cathaoirleach: The Senator was going fine. very courteous and likeable person to me and other public representatives. I have often come Mr. Finucane: All right, I shall leave out that across constituents on whose behalf he dealt with part. I abhor what happened over the weekend. an issue and who found him very efficient. He It was extremely unfortunate, it was terribly had a reputation of being a hard worker in the wrong and no man deserved that type of pub- constituency. licity. We all know the defamation laws do not That said, following his death it is time for a apply if a person dies but in this case a terrible substantial review and proper scrutiny of his pol- injustice has been done to his family. I am itical career, the good and the bad, because he appalled at what happened. was a major figure in politics over the past 30 years. As a local representative I crossed swords Mr. O’Toole: I agree with every word spoken with him over the years or did not agree with by Senator Finucane. On my way home on Satur- decisions he took with regard to planning issues. day night I called into a shop to get the Sunday It is important for the future of politics that we newspapers. I thought I had seen everything in examine fully the background to those decisions. newspapers but I did not believe the headline The newspaper articles, particularly the one I when I saw it. I actually thought it was a magazine saw first, disgusted me. I happened to be in Bal- sending up the Sunday Independent. I just could lina on Sunday and saw the Sunday Independent, but similar stories were carried in other news- not believe it. I looked at it, but did not buy it. papers. The story reported distracted from what I found it nauseating. My first thought was not we need to do in terms of examining the political whether it was true or otherwise, but how the career of Liam Lawlor. I found the story offen- family would be hit by it. My second thought was sive, even before we were made aware of the true to wonder where standards of journalism had facts, as did anyone I spoke to on the day. It was gone and my third was to do with the libel laws. offensive, inappropriate and hurtful to the family The central character is dead and the other per- and friends of Liam Lawlor. It was degrading to son is not a resident, so neither of them have any the dignity of those who died in the accident and comeback. We need to look at this issue and give to the survivor. I agree it hit a new low in terms some teeth in this area. of journalism standards in the country. There is only one way to deal with this matter That type of story is not the norm in our media, and that is through punitive measures. There is which is one of the reasons the public was so out- no way any action will be taken by proprietors raged by it. We expect more from our news- against newspapers making money, as long as papers. That said, this type of sensationalist jour- they continue making money. The way to deal nalism is becoming more of a feature of our with this is the same as with the licensing laws. A media, something that needs to be addressed. I publication found in contravention of the regu- agree with calls for a press council. It is important lations should be closed down for a period or cer- that the Minister bring forward the legislation in tain number of publications. It should be made this regard as soon as possible. The Minister is feel the pain. This is the only threat that will not seeking to bring forward legislation because work.