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Vol. 187 Wednesday, No. 14 7 November 2007 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Wednesday, 7 November 2007. Business of Seanad ………………………………1005 Order of Business …………………………………1006 Community Child Care Subvention Scheme 2008-2010: Statements ………………1027 Energy Security and Climate Change: Motion ………………………1048 Adjournment Matters Search and Rescue Service ……………………………1085 Community Employment Schemes …………………………1089 Cla´rDı´la´ru´ …………………………………1092 1005 1006 SEANAD E´ IREANN committees provided for in the Garda Sı´ocha´na Act 2005. ———— I have also received notice from Senator Buttimer of the following matter: De´ Ce´adaoin, 7 Samhain 2007. Wednesday, 7 November 2007. The need for the Minister for Education and Science to make a statement on the urgent ———— need for the provision of a new national school at Ballygarven, County Cork. Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 2.30 p.m. I regard the matters raised as suitable for dis- cussion on the Adjournment. I have selected ———— Senators Keaveney, Coghlan and O´ Domhnaill and they will be taken at the conclusion of busi- Paidir. ness. Senators Donohoe, Leyden and Buttimer Prayer. may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise. ———— Order of Business. Business of Seanad. Senator Dan Boyle: The Order of Business is An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from No. 1, statements on the community child care Senator Keaveney that, on the adjournment of subvention scheme 2008-2010, which shall be the House today, she proposes to raise the follow- taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business ing matter: and which shall, if not previously concluded, The need for the Minister for Agriculture, adjourn not later than 5 p.m. and resume, if not Fisheries and Food to clarify the delay in pro- previously concluded, on Tuesday next, with the viding an important facility for the RNLI in contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 15 Buncrana, County Donegal and the impli- minutes and those of all other Senators not to cations for safety at sea if this continues. exceed ten minutes, and No. 11, motion 32 on energy security and climate control, which shall I have also received notice from Senator Coghlan be taken on the conclusion of No. 1. of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Enterprise, Senator Frances Fitzgerald: I propose an Trade and Employment to review the com- amendment to the Order of Business to have a munity employment schemes programme in debate on breast cancer services before the order to allow all existing participants over 50 House takes No. 1. Senators will share my con- years of age to continue to work on the cerns about what has emerged since the House schemes until age 65 if they are unable to gain last met. Women’s faith in the health service alternative employment, particularly where evi- appears to have been permanently damaged. In dence exists that such is the case. light of information which has emerged in recent days, every woman who has had a test for cancer ´ I have also received notice from Senator O will wonder whether her test result was accurate. Domhnaill of the following matter: Since the House last met, eight women who The need for the Minister for Community, underwent tests in the Midland Regional Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to give an update Hospital, Portlaoise, have been diagnosed with on the decentralisation of Fora´s Na Gaeilge to cancer, having earlier experienced the wonderful Gweedore, County Donegal. relief of being given the all-clear. A further six women now face the agony of being retested to I have also received notice from Senator determine if earlier tests failed to diagnose Donohoe of the following matter: cancer. The need for the Minister for Transport to While there is scope for cross-party work on provide an update on the progress made this issue, the Taoiseach is behaving as if he has towards delivering integrated ticketing for not been in Government Buildings for the past public transport. ten years. It is as if he has suddenly woken up and is asking what is happening. Fianna Fa´il Party I have also received notice from Senator Leyden Ministers, namely, Deputies Martin and Cowen, of the following matter: had responsibility for health for ten years. The need for the Minister for Justice, Why is the plan for cancer services not being Equality and Law Reform to provide an update implemented? A report produced seven years on the progress and implementation of the ago concluded that specialist centres were Garda Sı´ocha´na-local authority joint policing needed. Senators will share my concern about the 1007 Order of 7 November 2007. Business 1008 [Senator Frances Fitzgerald.] correct to accept his pay increase. He would have lack of a timetable for the implementation of been a laughing stock in the country’s pubs and these specialist centres. In addition, answers to elsewhere had he turned it down. questions about resources have not been forth- What should the Taoiseach be paid? I am regu- coming. What resources will be made available? larly involved in negotiations. The body looked The House should debate breast cancer services after our salaries five years and ten years ago. to give every Senator an opportunity to speak on The Taoiseach is paid less than one tenth of the the issue. amount paid to someone running a bank, one half I am also concerned about the response to con- of the amount paid to a consultant and somewhat cerns raised about a 15 year old machine being less than the only published figure for an amount used in the Midland Regional Hospital, Port- paid to a daily newspaper editor. What should the laoise. The Government accepted a pay hike yes- Taoiseach be paid and what increase should he terday, yet a 15 year old machine was not be given later? replaced when this matter was brought to the I have examined the matter and there is no fair attention of the Health Service Executive. I am international comparison. Has anyone examined also concerned about the breakdown in how much Members of other Parliaments receive communications between the Government, the in expenses? Peter Robinson and Gerry Adams, Minister for Health and Children and the Health Westminster MPs, claimed expenses of nearly Service Executive. The health service looks like a \250,000 each last year. We should compare like ship without a captain. Accountability appears to with like, read the information and discuss the be absent and it is not clear who is in charge or issues. If we do not like who is the Taoiseach, we responsible for what is happening. For all these should get rid of him or her, which is a different reasons, I request a debate on breast cancer ball game. services. I move the amendment. The Cathaoirleach will recall that the House addressed this matter previously. During the Senator Joe O’Toole: It is only right, proper benchmarking process, some of my esteemed col- and sensitive that the House debate the health leagues did not want to accept their increases. services. While I support the proposal, it does not The Minister for Finance and I came up with the need to be taken before No. 1. After 7 p.m. may idea of a salary increase opt-out. The Taoiseach be an appropriate time, as people could get should bring that idea to the Cabinet. As to those organised. whingers who, on the one hand, state they do not I am loath to get involved in a blame game, but want increases but, on the other, put it in their we must examine the matter seriously. Bench- back pockets, at the next Cabinet meeting the marks should be put in place in terms of what we Taoiseach should give them little forms to sign expect from the health service and objectives for for pay increases. If they do not sign, they can waiting lists, accident and emergency queues and do without the increases instead of having it both cancer care should be set out during the next two ways, namely, whinging about it into micro- years. People should be given one year to do what phones and going to banks with it at the end of is expected before they reappear before the the month. It is not on. We should support the House to determine whether they have delivered. review body and debate the report. We should support or criticise them depending on whether things get done. Senators: Hear, hear. The House should debate the serious issue raised by the leader of the Opposition, Senator Senator Alex White: I support Senator Fitzgerald. Each time there are problems, Fitzgerald’s call for a debate on cancer services. whether in terms of planning permission, Political accountability is a fundamental part of interpretative centres and so on, people believe this discussion and Senator O’Toole touched on the situation will be improved if the politicians this, the notion that politics should be taken out are removed. However, people ask about who is of politics, in other words, that difficult issues responsible the minute the politicians have been should be taken out of politics. While the removed. Good or bad, we decided to take this Taoiseach is bemused that people wish to politi- matter out of politicians’ hands. We should cise the issue, the question of health service fund- reconsider the issue. ing and resourcing is a political one. Is there I regret that I did not have the opportunity to another way to describe it? Money for a serious make this point last week, but I call for a debate public service was voted by the Oireachtas and on the report of the Review Body on Higher the HSE, having been warned some time ago, Remuneration in the Public Sector.