Vol. 204 Tuesday, No. 1 6 July 2010 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Tuesday, 6 July 2010. Business of Seanad ………………………………1 Order of Business …………………………………2 Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010: Second Stage ………………18 Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages …………………………40 Motion for Earlier Signature……………………………60 Central Bank Reform Bill 2010: Second Stage …………………………………61 Committee and Remaining Stages …………………………92 Adjournment Matters: Arms Trafficking ………………………………110 Fire Service …………………………………112 Employment Rights ………………………………114 SEANAD ÉIREANN DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL OFFICIAL REPORT Imleabhar 204 Volume 204 Dé Máirt, 6 Iúil 2010. Tuesday, 6 July 2010. ———— Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 12.00 p.m. ———— Paidir. Prayer. ———— Business of Seanad. An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator David Norris that, on the motion for the Adjournment of the House this evening, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Defence to make a report on a series of stories in Irish and foreign newspapers, including the Sunday World of 27 June and the Sunday Independent of the same date, concerning the activities of Army personnel arms trafficking. I have also received notice from Senator Mark Daly of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to provide an update on the progress of the Kenmare fire station, County Kerry, for which planning permission was granted in 2007. I have also received notice from Senator James Carroll of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation to reform the notice of redundancy system so employers cannot take advantage of the recent economic downturn to retain employees indefinitely without giving them due notice and to stop employers forcing employees to resign, thus losing their notice which they have rightfully earned. I have also received notice from Senator Pearse Doherty of the following matter: 1 Order of 6 July 2010. Business. [An Cathaoirleach.] The need for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation to bring forward legislation which would compel all companies which are awarded State contracts to comply with regis- tered employment agreement rates and pensions schemes. I have also received notice from Senator Fidelma Healy Eames of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health and Children, in order to reverse the situation where front-line and respite Brothers of Charity services for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism are being cut and facilities closed by the HSE, to ensure that value for money cuts and the public sector moratorium on recruitment for staff replacements will no longer be applied and that services already cut back will be reversed. I have also received notice from Senator Jerry Buttimer of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health and Children to make a statement on the establish- ment of an advisory board regarding the reconfiguration of acute hospital services in HSE South and to outline the reason there is no public representative or patient advocate on the board. I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion on the Adjournment and I have selected the matters raised by Senators Norris, Daly and Carroll and they will be taken at the conclusion of business. The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise. Order of Business Senator Donie Cassidy: The Order of Business is No. 1, Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 — Second Stage; No. 2, Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 — Committee and Remaining Stages; and No. 3, Central Bank Reform Bill 2010 — Second and Remaining Stages. It is proposed that No. 1 be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and conclude not later than 3.45 p.m. Spokespersons may speak for 15 minutes and all other Senators for eight minutes. Senators may share time by agreement of the House and the Mini- ster will be called for concluding comments ten minutes before the conclusion of the debate. It is proposed that No. 2 be taken at 4.30 p.m. No. 3 will be taken at the conclusion of No. 2 but not before 7.30 p.m. Spokespersons may speak for 12 minutes and all other Senators may speak for seven minutes. Senators may share time, by agreement of the House. The Minister will be called on for concluding comments ten minutes before the conclusion of the debate. There will be a sos from 3.45 p.m. until 4.30 p.m. An Cathaoirleach: There is another item on the order paper, No. 3, motion re earlier signa- ture of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010. Senator Donie Cassidy: I will return to the House on that matter. An Cathaoirleach: No—— Senator Donie Cassidy: I propose that the earlier signature motion be taken as No. 3. An Cathaoirleach: What the Leader announced initially as No. 3 will now be taken as No. 4. Senator Donie Cassidy: That is agreed. My apologies to the House. An Cathaoirleach: I call Senator Cummins. 2 Order of 6 July 2010. Business. Senator Maurice Cummins: It seems there is confusion on the Order of Business. Senator Donie Cassidy: It was not written down; that is all. Senator Maurice Cummins: For a start, that is a source of confusion. Senator Donie Cassidy: I have already apologised to the House. Senator Maurice Cummins: The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 is to be taken at 4.30 p.m and will conclude well before 7.30 p.m., when we will be asked to deal with the other matter. Will we begin dealing with the Central Bank Reform Bill at 7.30 p.m.? Senator Donie Cassidy: It will be taken not earlier than 7.30 p.m. Senator Maurice Cummins: Therefore, it is possible we will have a break of about two hours between the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Central Bank Reform Bill. What is the reason for the delay? Senator Donie Cassidy: Because I want to have the Minister for Finance in the House this evening to allow Members to make their submissions to him personally. Senator Maurice Cummins: The business should have been ordered in such a way that there would be no gaps. Senator Donie Cassidy: There will be no gaps. Senator Maurice Cummins: There is confusion. Senator Paul Coghlan: It is bad management. Senator Maurice Cummins: The national development plan seems to be in tatters, going on recent newspaper reports which suggest the level of funding for infrastructural projects up to 2013 will be cut from approximately €40 billion to €23 billion. This means many road and rail projects will be axed. It seems there is no-joined up thinking on the part of the Government and no plan to tackle the scourge of unemployment which is wreaking havoc in every corner of the country. Take, for example, the construction of rest areas on motorways. Three are under construction, but it appears nine other projects will be shelved. Members in this and the other House asked that such areas be provided when the roads were under construction, which would have saved money. We now learn that nine such projects will be shelved. This shows that there is no joined-up thinking and no vision for the future so far as the Government is concerned. On another matter, persons who are unemployed have to wait up to three months to receive jobseeker’s allowance. Balbriggan, the Leader’s town of Mullingar, Navan and Longford are the towns worst hit in this regard. It is a disgrace that people who paid PRSI on a weekly or monthly basis all heir lives must wait up to three months to receive jobseeker’s allowance. This is not the first time we have raised the issue on the Order of Business, on which we have had pious platitudes from various Ministers but no answers. There is no excuse for people not receiving their benefit payments in proper time. I ask that the Minister account for his steward- ship and that immediate steps be taken to ensure people will receive their benefit payments at the right time. Earlier this year the Taoiseach pledged to bring telephone and Internet betting within the tax net by May this year but we still have seen no legislation in this regard. When can we 3 Order of 6 July 2010. Business. [Senator Maurice Cummins.] expect to see such legislation, as the funding raised would be of paramount importance to the horse racing industry and all those employed within it? Senator Joe O’Toole: I also believe the House should adjourn to discuss the massive changes to the national development plan being proposed. My concern should be shared on both sides of the House. The changes would have a negative impact on badly needed infrastructural development projects and on the economies of local areas in terms of job creation and certainly would have safety implications, as outlined by Senator Cummins in terms of the provision of rest areas on motorways, an issue on which we had long discussions in the House last year and the previous year. This would be regressive, counterproductive and pessimistic at a time when we want to boost the economy. The metro project proposals in Dublin to the construction of bypasses around towns such as Tralee and road works in Belturbet, Sligo, Tipperary and else- where would have an impact on employment throughout the country. These are the projects the Government should be looking to develop. It is what the country needs and should be considered in terms of the impact on employment.