Common Fisheries Policy debate
The Leader confirms that the Agriculture Minister will attend in early July to discuss the Common Fisheries Policy and says industry representatives were consulted. The Chair then handles amendments and voting requests, including Senator O’Donovan’s proposal for an immediate fisheries debate.
We will do that. I have it metered here.
Senator Coghlan welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, on the agreement on the Common Fisheries Policy. This is a matter which Senator O'Donovan has raised, as have Senators Ó Clochartaigh and Ó Domhnaill. The Minister has agreed to come to the House in early July to discuss the Common Fisheries Policy. As I said on Tuesday, despite what some Senators have stated in the House, the Minister had regular contact with representatives of the fishing industry before the negotiations and he will continue to have negotiations with the stakeholders in that regard.
We should all welcome what happened during the negotiations on the Common Fisheries Policy which only concluded last evening. European fisheries Ministers have agreed to end the decades of overfishing and rebuild dwindling stocks by 2020. The agreement will achieve what Members have called for on several occasions. It will stop the annual negotiations over catch quotas by EU Ministers with officials now following scientific advice more closely when setting quotas in the future. I am sure the Minister will expand on this when he attends the House for the debate on fisheries in early July.
I will ask for an update on postal codes for Senator Kelly from the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
Senators Cullinane, O’Keeffe, Quinn and Healy Eames raised this morning’s announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills on the setting up clusters in third level education and three technological universities which will be based on innovation, research and development. As Senator Cullinane mentioned, I was recently invited with other Members to attend the Telecommunications Software & Systems Group, TSSG, and ArcLabs, an offshoot of Waterford Institute of Technology. It is involved in innovation, research and development with linkages to industry and manufacturing. The proposed technological universities should be focused on links with industry. I will arrange for a debate with the Minister as soon as possible to clarify the process in this regard. Quite a number of Members have sought such a debate and I will ask the Minister to facilitate us in early course on this matter.
Senator Ó Murchú raised the links between culture and marching bands in Northern Ireland. As I have stated on many occasions, music transcends all barriers.
Senator Ó Domhnaill raised the matter of drug abuse. I am assured that the Garda and the Customs and Excise have all the resources necessary to tackle this issue. They have a difficult task. The help of local communities and the public is a vital ingredient in solving this problem.
Senators Ó Clochartaigh and Mullen raised the matter of the value for money audits for small schools and called for a debate on the future of rural schools. The report is with the Minister and it is another debate that we can have when he attends the House. At this stage, there are four subjects on which we will be having debates with him.
Comment on this
I have been criticised for having omnibus debates before and that the subjects should be more specific. The Senators cannot have them every way.
Comment on this
I support the Leader on that.
Comment on this
Senators Mullins and Leyden will be able to make the points they raised with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs later when she attends the House.
Senator Leyden raised the matter of the new electoral boundaries for local authorities. I understand it will go online at 5 p.m. this evening.
Senator Wilson raised the point, one which was raised on Tuesday too, about having some form of notification to go out to people whose passports are about to expire, like what happens with motor tax. The onus is on individuals to check their passports but I will make the point to the Tánaiste and Minster for Foreign Affairs and Trade to see if anything can be done in that regard.
Senator O’Sullivan asked about the costs of coroners’ offices which are borne by local authorities. He made a good point that these would be more appropriate to the Department of Justice and Equality. I will certainly discuss it with the Minister so that those funds could be used to make up the decreases in the funding made available for housing aid for the elderly and so on.
Senator Noone raised the question of violence against women and welcomed the necessary changes Facebook has made in this regard. It was appalling what was going on there. As she stated, we did have a debate on this matter recently but I commend her on raising this point again this morning.
Senator Colm Burke asked about legislation on organ donation. I understand it is being drafted and I will ask the Minister that it be introduced in the Seanad. Several other Senators have raised this issue before on a number of occasions.
Senator Barrett raised the lax lending standards by banks. I welcome the fact officials will be discussing with the Senator and others, No. 25 on the Order Paper, the Financial Stability and Reform Bill 2013. The Seanad has certainly taken a lead on this issue and we should not be shy in making that point.
Comment on this
Senator Norris has tabled an amendment to the Order of Business: “That all Stages of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013 not be taken today.” As the amendment has no seconder, it lapses.
Senator O’Donovan has moved an amendment to the Order of Business: “That a debate on the fundamental changes in the EU Common Fisheries Policy be taken today.” Is the amendment being pressed?
Comment on this
Under Standing Order 62(3)(b), I request that the division be taken again other than by electronic means.
Comment on this
Question put: "That the Order of Business be agreed to."
Do you agree with this result?