I ask the Leader to facilitate, over the next number of weeks, a general discussion on the current economic situation with either the Minister for Finance or the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Such a debate would cause us to reflect on economic reality. The Government came to power two years ago and held a subsequent Seanad election. In the early days and weeks that followed the establishment of a new Seanad it was admitted and conceded by everybody that there was a grave economic crisis in the country. There was also a willingness and an admission by the main Opposition party, in particular, that it needed to be constructive and recognise the responsibility that it shared in bringing the country to its economic plight while acknowledging that it could only be addressed by everybody working together.

Having listened to Senator MacSharry and some of his colleagues discussing matters such as Bus Éireann and possible changes in the way child care payments are spent, I think a degree of economic amnesia is now setting in. We need to recognise that while progress has been made in turning the economy around, we still live in a very difficult place. We are trying to renegotiate the Croke Park measure to bring about savings of €300 million, so we should not delude ourselves that the Government has wide options or any spare resources. We need to have a substantial debate on the economy in order that we can move away from soundbites and cheap political sloganeering, and reflect on the fact that we are still borrowing hundreds of millions of euro every week to keep our economy ticking over. We have to make the necessary savings and must also carry out the reform measures to which we were all committed two years ago. We need to get back to reality because I feel that, particularly on the Fianna Fáil side of the House, economic amnesia is setting in. Fianna Fáil is trying to pretend that we are back in the boom times when we have a long way to go.

If Senator Bradford expects this side of the House to remain mute on economic issues, he is in for a surprise.

I would like to mention two issues briefly. First, No. 1, the motion on maritime spatial planning, is worthy of debate. Our fishing quota is about 4% of the EU's total, while we have 22% or 23% of the EU's fisheries area. The coastal area within our jurisdiction is many times the size of the country. The issue is worthy of debate whether it concerns fisheries, gas and oil exploration, or wave energy. While I know it has been agreed to take the motion, we should have a general debate on our coastal spatial strategy.

Second, I am calling for the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, to attend the House for a discussion on gangland killings which are spiralling out of control. Such killings are happening nearly every week in Dublin. The Minister has become somewhat immune to what is happening. Some of these gangs are operating with impunity and have no regard for law and order. Some years ago, in Limerick city, a strategy was successfully introduced to target the problem. It was operated by the Garda Commissioner as well as involving political channels, and it brought about a severe crackdown in Limerick. It was successful in that regard, but something similar is now needed for Dublin. We have seen tit-for-tat gangland killings in the capital, which are like the days of Al Capone in 1930s Chicago. The Minister should take control of this situation because it is serious. As my party's spokesperson on justice, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister, Deputy Shatter, should attend the House as a matter of urgency to discuss the ongoing difficulties with gangland crime, especially the gangland murders that are happening almost daily.