Vol. 200 Wednesday, No. 10 10 February 2010 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Wednesday, 10 February 2010. Business of Seanad ………………………………547 Order of Business …………………………………547 Business of Seanad ………………………………566 Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage …………………566 Business of Seanad ………………………………580 Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (resumed)………………581 CAO Applications and College Places: Statements ……………………584 Youth Unemployment: Motion ……………………………607 Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects ……………………………634 School Curriculum ………………………………636 SEANAD ÉIREANN ———— Dé Céadaoin, 10 Feabhra 2010. Wednesday, 10 February 2010. ———— Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 10.30 a.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Business of Seanad. An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Joe O’Reilly that, on the motion for the Adjournment of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Science to proceed with issuing a roll number for a new second level school for Kingscourt, County Cavan, given that the necessary building and facilities are already in place and there is a prior commitment to the building of the school. I have also received notice from Senator Cecelia Keaveney of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Science to clarify whether self-awareness programmes on checking for cancer could be piloted in CSPE classes. I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion on the Adjournment and they will be taken at the conclusion of business. Order of Business. Senator Donie Cassidy: The Order of Business is No. 1, Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 — Committee Stage, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, statements on CAO applications and college places, to be taken at the conclusion of No. 1 but not before 3 p.m. and to conclude not later than 5 p.m., if not previously concluded, on which spokespersons may speak for ten minutes and all other Senators for seven minutes and Senators may share time, by agreement of the House, with the Minister to be called upon ten minutes before the end of the statements for concluding comments and to take questions from leaders or spokespersons; and No. 37, Private Members’ motion No. 21 on the rise in youth unemploy- ment, to be taken at 5 p.m. and conclude not later than 7 p.m. The business of the House will be interrupted between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Senator Frances Fitzgerald: Last night on “Prime Time” RTE broadcast a chilling documen- tary on the lives of Irish people in totally unsuitable psychiatric facilities which would have been unsuitable at any time but which are so inadequate in this day and age, yet more than 1,000 men and women live in them. As we saw last night, they are institutionalised in such horrible facilities. The Seanad could play a role in prioritising the issue of mental health and we can begin to do so on 1 March when the Minister of State at the Department of Health and 547 Order of 10 February 2010. Business [Senator Frances Fitzgerald.] Children, Deputy John Moloney, will make an announcement on the new funding to be made available for mental health facilities. We must make this issue a higher political priority and I want the Seanad to play a role in it. Yesterday, I received a commitment from the Minister of State that the practice of placing children in adult psychiatric facilities would end by the end of 2011. While this is welcome, it is unfortunate that a couple of hundred children with mental health difficulties will be put into adult facilities for treatment this year. I urge the Leader to ensure the Minister of State’s announcement on the future of mental health in this country is made in the Seanad so that we can begin to prioritise this area. A number of Senators across the political divide, including Senators Corrigan and Mary White, have raised the issue and we must receive a response. We have an opportunity to make a difference in an area which has not been given the priority it deserves. I wish to raise the 750 job losses in Bank of Scotland Ireland due to the closure of its Halifax branches here. This follows 1,500 job losses in our main banks in recent months, resulting in a total number of job losses of in excess of 2,000 in the banking sector. We need a job creation plan because it is clear we have not turned the corner and the banking sector is facing into serious flux and uncertainty. Will the third banking force be implemented and what are the Department of Finance’s plans in this regard? I repeat the call I made yesterday for a debate which would allow every Member to express a view on these issues. I ask that the Minister for Finance attend the House to discuss the issues and, accordingly, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business in order that we hold a debate on the banking sector today. Senator Joe O’Toole: I note with interest that Greece has been closed down today by the first of a series of public sector strikes. People should keep that in mind when they study the Irish situation. The difference between the trade union movements in Ireland and Greece is that the former conceded immediately, or at least by last December, that the Government would have to save money the hard way and was prepared to find ways of achieving that goal. Eventually the Government disagreed, as it was entitled to do. However, nature abhors a vacuum. Nothing is happening except that ordinary people are seething with anger. Nobody is driving the process. This should not be allowed to continue because bushfires are breaking out in various public and private sector workplaces. We need to calm the situation by dealing with it now. The Government parties should be discussing how they can address the issues within their parliamentary party meetings. It is not a question of making concessions; it is about identifying ways of making progress. I deliberately did not speak about George Lee on yesterday’s Order of Business because I felt we had heard too much about it already. However, the related point raised by my colleague, Senator Harris, deserves close attention. People should look at what we do and how we do it. Let this be a lesson to those who called for Bill Cullen or Michael O’Leary to run the country. A particular skills set is required for political life and although we should not be completely cynical by saying we cannot have people coming in here, we need to consider how we can deal with this issue. The recent report of the Joint Committee on the Constitution offers one solution with its proposal that people would be appointed to Government through the Seanad. These would be carefully selected people who possess particular skills rather than celebrity candidates. However, we must recognise that skills such as persuasion, perseverance, obstinacy and leader- ship are required. One cannot run the country solely by having the skill to tell someone: “You’re fired”, or to demand that one check in on-line for a chair in the accident and emer- gency department. There are different ways of dealing with these issues. The question of patriotism arises in respect of people coming forward for public service. Criticism is constantly aired in this House against the boss of the HSE but, to me, that man is 548 Order of 10 February 2010. Business a patriot in the real sense of the word. He put himself forward to run the HSE, yet he gets nothing but stick and criticism from all sides, including me on occasion. We should recognise that the service given by such people helps to make Irish life work. Senator Alex White: The events of recent days give rise to very important issues which go beyond the personalities concerned. I agree with Senators O’Toole and Harris on the import- ance of having a debate on the nature and quality of representation and what we can expect from politicians and people in public life. I have just come from a meeting of the Joint Commit- tee on the Constitution which is wrestling with issues pertaining to the electoral system and the nature and quality of representation that Deputies and public representatives are able to offer. Leaving aside who he or she may be, the introduction of a directly elected mayor of Dublin has the potential to bring about positive and important change to our system in terms of representation and the quality of democracy in the city. I note in this morning’s newspapers that the local government (office of the Dublin mayor and regional authority of Dublin) Bill was apparently discussed in Cabinet yesterday. Can the Leader ascertain whether it is possible to publish the scheme of the Bill now? If we have to await its publication next week or in the coming weeks, it will not be possible to have the quality of debate we need on such a profound change. I strongly support the proposal in principle and I want it to work. I appeal to the Leader to ensure the Government does not bring before us a Bill in respect of which we have one week to debate Second Stage, followed by Committee and Report Stages a week later. That is not sufficient time for proper debate on the very real changes that could come about.