Vol. 185 Wednesday, No. 18 31 January 2007 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Wednesday, 31 January 2007. Death of Former Members: Expressions of Sympathy ……………………1569 Business of Seanad ………………………………1581 Order of Business …………………………………1582 Visit of Northern Ireland Delegation …………………………1597 Order of Business (resumed)……………………………1598 Order of Business: Motion ……………………………1598 Planning and Development Regulations 2007: Motion ……………………1599 Council Framework Decision on Organised Crime: Motion …………………1599 Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2006: Order for Second Stage ……………………………1599 Second Stage …………………………………1600 Human Rights Issues: Motion ……………………………1609 Adjournment Matters: Pharmacy Regulations ……………………………1643 Inland Fisheries ………………………………1647 Schools Building Projects ……………………………1650 1569 1570 SEANAD E´ IREANN from 1973 to 1979 as a member of the European Parliament, becoming a vice president of that ———— assembly. He gave dedicated and patriotic service to De´ Ce´adaoin, 31 Eana´ir 2007. Fianna Fa´il, Ireland and Europe. As we know, his Wednesday, 31 January 2007. late father, William Butler Yeats, donated many of his treasures to the National Gallery and there ———— is currently an exhibition in the National Library marking his life. For that, the Yeats family, and Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar Michael Yeats in particular, deserve to be much 2.30 p.m. admired. He spoke about those aspects in another interview I heard played on the radio. ———— For years, Michael Yeats was a member of the Dalkey Fianna Fa´il cumann and attended the var- Paidir. ious functions run by that body and by other Prayer. cumainn in Dublin and elsewhere. I remember that when he was invited to a function in the mid- ———— lands, he was so willing to attend as a committed member of the party. I know his family will be Death of Former Members: Expressions of devastated by his passing. Many of us have met Sympathy. his daughter Sı´le Yeats who works in RTE. I Ms O’Rourke: On behalf of my party and on express our deep sympathy to his family along behalf of the House I wish to express my sym- with our thanks for all the years of service he pathy with Mrs. Gra´inne Yeats and her family on gave to our party and to his country. the sad death of the former Senator Michael Yeats. He served in this Chamber for many years Mr. B. Hayes: On behalf of my Fine Gael col- with truly great distinction, in addition to a period leagues, I join the Leader in expressing our sin- as Cathaoirleach, and his work here was much cere sympathy to the family of the late Senator admired. When we talk about Michael Yeats we Michael Yeats. I did not know him personally but tend to place him within the context of both his I read about him and was aware that he was the father and grandfather but he was a man of great son of the great poet and patriot, William Butler eminence himself. All his recent obituaries prove Yeats. As the Leader rightly said, Michael Yeats that fact. had his own talents and skills. His commitment to He was a stalwart member of the Fianna Fa´il public service over a period of approximately 35 party from his youth. When he attended second- years was immense. It is always more difficult to ary school, which was rather posh and maybe be the son of a famous man — someone who was more suited to the other side of the House—— indelibly marked by the foundation of the State and the literary revival. His father was at the Mr. B. Hayes: The Senator should speak for heart of all that, yet in his own life Michael Yeats herself. made a substantial contribution to the history of this country, including parliamentary life. As the Ms O’Rourke: ——he was teased about his Leader said, it is particularly poignant that we republican sympathies, but he expressed them would remember a former Cathaoirleach of the forcibly early on. He wrote a brilliant memoir House because that very distinguished office entitled Cast a Cold Eye in which he explained within our Constitution and the House is not that the prejudices of his fellow students turned given to everyone who goes through this House. him into a de Valera republican from an early That he served in such a way for such a period age. I thought that was interesting, although I do deserves to be mentioned and honoured today. not know what school he attended. He had a life- I was interested to learn when I was long commitment to Fianna Fa´il. researching his life that he was one of the first When he had passed away, I was listening to vice presidents of the European Parliament. At the radio by chance and heard John Bowman’s that time, before direct elections were introduced selection of extracts from the many interviews in 1979, we appointed people to the European Michael Yeats had given over the years. He gave Parliament. It was a very distinguished role. He one such interview to Mike Murphy in which he clearly had the support and the credibility within was both funny and explicit about his politics. his political party because to be not only selected Michael Yeats was first appointed to the as an MEP in the period before direct elections Seanad in 1951 by E´ amon de Valera, and was but also appointed as a vice president of the Par- subsequently re-appointed by Sea´n Lemass and liament shows the standing in which he was held Jack Lynch — three former Taoisigh. Michael within his own party. Yeats was also elected to this House at least once I am aware of the great contribution Senator if not twice. He was a strong supporter of the Yeats and his family made to ensuring that many European ideal and in the 1950s represented of the Yeats papers — the memorabilia and the Ireland on the Council of Europe. He served primary source material that was connected with 1571 Death of Former Members: 31 January 2007. Expressions of Sympathy 1572 [Mr. B. Hayes.] made such munificent donations to the National the poet’s life — remained in this country. I Library. understand he and his family were offered a very I would like to tell a story on that subject. Ten significant sum of money as a means of ensuring or more years ago I was invited to speak at an those papers would go into a private collection, international symposium on Joyce in Monte probably outside this country, but he chose in the Carlo where one of the attendant events was an most patriotic way to offer these great papers to exhibition and talk on Jack B. Yeats, sponsored the National Library to ensure that Irish people by the waste paper magnate Mr. Smurfit. As a in centuries to come would be able to see the result of this, Stephen Joyce, the grandson of work of the great poet. James Joyce, made a most ill-natured and ill- It is with great regret that we offer our sym- judged attack on the Yeats family, chiding it for pathy to his wife Gra´inne, his daughters what he described as the way the family was milk- Caitrı´ona, Siobha´n and Sı´le and his son, Pa´draig. ing the resources of the Yeats estate for financial We will always cherish his memory and his advantage. The words “pot”, “kettle” and service in this House. “black” sprang into many minds in the audience. However, Michael Yeats’ sister Ann was present Mr. Norris: I would like to say a few words on and in a dignified way — without rebuking, behalf of the Independent Senators in memory of attacking or mentioning Stephen, a wonderful the late Senator Yeats. My colleague, Senator humiliation — said that as the question had been Ross, also has particular reason for wishing to say raised, the gathering should know the arrange- a few words and I hope he might be indulged, ments made by the Yeats family were A, B, C, with the approval of the House. and D and they indicated the immense degree of Yeats is a name to conjure with. What a tribute the donation that had been made. it is to that family that the late Senator Michael Michael Yeats was a very good Cathaoirleach Yeats emerged unscathed from the extraordinary of the House, but before my time. As father of celebrity of that family. We tend to forget that his the House, Senator Ross may be closer to that grandfather was an internationally known period although he is younger than me in years, but not in wisdom. Those of us aware of Michael painter, John B. Yeats. His father was one of the Yeats’s political career bear in mind that he was world’s greatest poets, William Butler Yeats. His a strong, broad-minded, non-partisan European. uncle was Jack B. Yeats. Many people have been Therefore, he is someone whose passing we can damaged by the fact a parent achieved such a mourn. degree of international celebrity, but it is all The last time I saw Michael Yeats was around through that family and continues. Anne Yeats is Christmas 2005. He floated up the street, a tall, a remarkable painter, Gra´inne Yeats is a elegant figure in a raincoat, carrying some musician of great talent and Sı´le Yeats, who we Christmas parcels and took a rest in Leinster all know, works in our broadcasting service. House. He had achieved a mature age, so his I have said it is a name to conjure with.