Vol. 220 Thursday, No. 5 24 January 2013 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here Business of Seanad 390 Order of Business 390 Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr Gay Mitchell, MEP 392 Water Services Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) 418 Adjournment Matters ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������426 24/01/2013Y00075Industrial Development 426 24/01/2013Z00250 430 Bank Branch Closures 428 Schools Building Projects �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������430 SEANAD ÉIREANN Déardaoin, 24 Eanáir 2013 Thursday, 24 January 2013 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 1030 am Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. Business of Seanad 24/01/2013A00200An Leas-Chathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator Thomas Byrne that, on the motion for the Adjournment of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation to outline the reason no IDA Ireland site visits took place in County Meath in 2012 I have also received notice from Senator Kathryn Reilly of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Finance to review the restructuring of banks to ensure that, as they deleverage, they do it in a way that does not disaffect local communities and leave them without vital services I have also received notice from Senator David Cullinane of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the current situation with regard to capital funding for the development of Gaelscoil Philib Barún, Tramore, County Waterford; if further developments have taken place in that regard since the Adjournment debate on the matter in March 2012; the prospects of the school receiving such funding in the coming years; and the timescale for any such funding being released 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 24/01/2013A00400Senator Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No 1, address to Seanad Éireann by Mr Gay Mitchell, MEP, to commence at 1145 am in accordance with the arrangements set 390 24 January 2013 out in the motion passed by the House on Wednesday, 23 January; No 2, Water Services Bill 2013 - Second Stage (Resumed), to be taken at the conclusion of No 1 and conclude not later than 245 pm, with the Minister to be called on to reply not later than 235 pm 24/01/2013A00600Senator Marc MacSharry: We agree to the Order of Business Will the Leader ask the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to attend the House for a debate on mental health? She has issued a statement on the matter It is the seventh anniversary of the publication of A Vision for Change, yet there is no current public plan to review its implementation The Government and the various agencies acknowledge the slow pace of the implementation of that plan in moving the system away from the institutions to community care Senator White and others will talk about the national emergency that is our suicide rate and the fact that as a nation we are failing to implement the policies that could have the biggest impact on our effort to deal with that issue It is important that we deal with that issue as a matter of urgency I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan, to make a statement to both Houses of the Oireachtas on the process followed for the selection of members of the board of the Heritage Council It appears from recent media reports that following an application process that saw some 76 people apply to become members of the board, the Minister moved to select two individuals who had neither applied for the particular job nor, arguably, had the suitable qualifications necessary for it. In a small country it is prob- ably possible to trace political lineage to any individual but it is ironic that one is a former press officer for the Labour Party and the other was a campaign activist for President Higgins. In the interests and integrity of the people involved and the work of the council, it is important that the process followed is highlighted, particularly for the 76 applicants who were not successful and who I am sure wonder how two people who did not apply and do not appear to have specific qualifications appropriate to that board would be appointed to that position. It would be useful if we could have that clarification. On a day that our Special Olympians are in Leinster House I am sure everybody in the House wish all our athletes the very best of success as they head off to South Korea on 25 January 24/01/2013B00300Senator Ivana Bacik: I join Senator MacSharry in wishing our Special Olympics athletes well That is an important message to send It is hard to take lectures from Fianna Fáil on cronyism On a more collegiate note, I thank colleagues for the positive and thoughtful debate in the House last night on the Labour Private Members’ motion on measures to improve quality of life in local communities While a large part of our motion and the debate was about policing it also contained quite a number of impor- tant measures and initiatives and I am grateful to colleagues for taking the time to contribute on all those issues which we will follow up with the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government I ask the Leader for a debate on the patronage of secondary schools We had a debate in this House in conjunction with the initiative of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, on greater diversity and patronage of primary schools We also had a very good debate on the report of the National Forum on Pluralism and Patronage in the Primary Sector That process is ongoing and we hope to see transformation of patronage occurring to reflect the greater diversity of the population in the very near future 391 Seanad Éireann There is another important debate to be had about patronage and ownership of schools at second level Last night, with many other political representatives and hundreds of people, I attended a public meeting organised in Wynn’s Hotel by Educate Together calling for the es- tablishment of a multidenominational, co-educational secondary school in Dublin city centre There is a huge energy and momentum behind this campaign Very large numbers of children now graduating from primary schools run by Educate Together throughout the country, and particularly in Dublin, have no equivalent school to attend at second level, the vast majority of second level schools still remaining under religious patronage There is a real momentum behind this campaign and it would be welcome if we could debate it here Political representa- tives from every party and from the Independent groupings attended last night’s meeting and spoke in support of the principle of a multidenominational second level school in Dublin It should be noted also that for the first time Educate Together will open three secondary schools in the State this September but none in Dublin city centre where there is a clear demand for such a school I ask the Leader that we might have that debate in the very near future 24/01/2013B00400Senator Cáit Keane: I join Senator MacSharry in paying tribute to the Special Olympians who will be in the House today They are being supported by members of the Garda and the Police Service of Northern Ireland As a member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, I believe that support is welcome and hope all Members will support them today and all the great work they do, not only during the Olympics but also throughout the year I refer to the memorandum of understanding signed today by the Minister for Communi- cations, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, and his counterpart in England to allow the export of wind energy to England This is an important day for the industry here because the signing of this memorandum of understanding will allow surplus energy to be ex- ported from Ireland We are all in favour of renewable and sustainable energy and as the Irish Wind Energy Association stated, the Minister has stayed true to his word and finalised the terms of the memorandum of understanding as promised by both Governments This demonstrates an unwavering commitment and the faith both parties have in the renewable energy sector to deliver jobs to the economy When delivered, this will create up to 30,000 indigenous jobs and, in addition, will boost the rate base of local authorities in the area coupled with investment of over €18 billion by 2020 That is quite an investment I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to come into the House to discuss this issue The Irish Wind Energy Association has asked for the establishment of a Government and industry imple- mentation group The Irish Wind Energy Association states it would ideally consist of the rel- evant experienced parties, public stakeholders and