With regard to the Workplace Relations Bill, we oppose section 72, at which I ask the Labour Party, in particular, to look. Members of trade unions and workers throughout the land are very upset about section 72 of said Bill. It potentially imposes a fee on using the labour relations mechanisms in the State. It is very unfair and is not what I thought those in the Labour Party were about. They would want to get a little more influence over Fine Gael and more backbone if they want to go before the people properly next year and not simply be lambs to the slaughter.

I raise the issue of crime. I pay tribute to the officers of the PSNI who yesterday captured the viciously dangerous man in Belfast who escaped from custody in Dublin a couple of days ago. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minster for Justice and Equality come into this House to discuss this extremely urgent matter that is causing huge anxiety and stress throughout the land. The Senators opposite can be nonchalant about this matter but it is very serious. A very dangerous situation was allowed to arise in recent days. The Taoiseach has already decided the outcome of a review by denying that resource issues had anything to do with the lack of a secure Garda escort with this individual, yet the Minister for Justice and Equality has launched a review. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, would want to come into this House or the Dáil to explain what is going on. I am proposing she comes into this House to tell the people that they are or are not safe, that the Government is or is not committed to tackling crime and to tell us what is going on in this case.

There are too many mixed messages coming from Government leading to fear and anxiety among the community and it is not good enough for the Members opposite to sit there relaxed and happy with legislation coming out of the Department of Justice and Equality and celebrating what they say is the most reforming Minister ever. Where did we hear that before? We heard it about the former Minister, Deputy Alan Shatter. The ordinary duties of a Minister for Justice and Equality in terms of crime, punishment and protecting the citizen are being forgotten and it is about time we had a debate in the House to bring that back to the forefront of the Department of Justice and Equality.

Will the Senator, please, clarify the amendment?

I propose an amendment that the Minister for Justice and Equality come to the House to clarify the situation regarding crime, justice and policing in the light of the events in recent days.

I raise the issue of the Slane bypass in County Meath. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who I acknowledge met me before Christmas about the Slane bypass - the Leader arranged this and I was thankful to him at the time because I was able to put a case to him about the bypass - was due to meet members of the Slane bypass action group today. For whatever reason, that meeting was postponed. He is going about his duties as he normally does. He was on radio this morning. I would like to know why that meeting was postponed and if the Government can give a positive signal about the Slane bypass because it has not given any signal about it, with the exception of the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, when he was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, who announced at one point that funding would not be provided for it. We need a positive signal about the Slane bypass from the Government. The matter was in planning. It was refused by An Bord Pleanála. There was a ministerial intervention before the Government took office that was not positive, but since the work has been done, following the An Bord Pleanála refusal, there has not been a signal from Government, the decision-makers, the National Roads Authority or the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport about it, and we need such a signal.

I point out also that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, was due to meet the north Meath roads action group some weeks ago and that meeting was postponed also sine die, without a reassigned date. What is going on? Is the Minister too busy to meet these groups? Are these serious issues of health and safety not important? I assure the Cathaoirleach and the Leader that the Slane bypass is a serious matter of health and safety and life and death in my community.

I am sure all colleagues will join me, as they did yesterday, in condemning the dreadful attack on the prison officers by the escaped prisoner, Mr. Brockwell, but I am sure also that everyone will wish to join me in commending the PSNI officers and gardaí who were involved in the police operation that resulted in his recapture, as we heard last night. I am disappointed at Senator Thomas Byrne's tone. This is far too serious an issue on which to seek to score political points. It is a very serious matter.

We are trying to make sure you do your job.

It is something on which this House can unite in support of those on the front line in seeking to ensure dangerous prisoners such as this man do not evade recapture when an escape has happened and to ensure escapes such as this are prevented in the future.

The resources are available to prevent it from happening in the first place.

A measured debate on this matter with the Minister for Justice and Equality would be appropriate but not a knee-jerk debate today when there are ongoing operations and it is not yet clear what will be the outcome in terms of whether Mr. Brockwell will be returned to Britain to serve the remainder of his sentence. Fianna Fáil tabled an amendment on this issue yesterday also and I felt it was most inappropriate to be playing political football with this issue.

Will the Leader see whether the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill might resume Committee Stage in this House before Easter? We are awaiting the drafting of Government amendments to this important Bill, which will reform section 37 of the employment equality legislation to ensure teachers, in particular, will not face any discrimination by their employer on grounds of sexual orientation. It is a very important Bill. I was promised that it would be back before the House before Easter. We have been awaiting the resumed Committee Stage for some time now and I ask the Leader to make inquiries as to when it will be before this House.

I welcome the article in The Irish Times today by former Supreme Court judge and former Senator Catherine McGuinness on the issue of gender equality in academic employment. She notes that Professor Jane Grimson, former TCD Bryce provost, has been appointed to chair an independent task force at NUI Galway to look into this issue. With other colleagues in this House, I had raised this issue in the light of the successful case taken by Micheline Sheehy Skeffington against NUI Galway. Therefore, I very much welcome the fact that NUI Galway is taking proactive steps to address issues of gender inequality at third level.

There are some very worrying figures quoted in the article by Mrs. Justice McGuinness in terms of the pay gap and the low number of women at senior level in academia. While many of us are very much aware of this, it is an issue that needs to be highlighted and in respect of which we need to be proactive. Action needs to be taken in this regard.

I support the comments of the Senators yesterday who spoke in support of the plain packaging legislation in relation to cigarettes. I note there are further reports today regarding JTI Ireland's threatened litigation. I note also that the Australian research often quoted against plain packaging legislation has now been questioned on the basis that it was commissioned and funded by a large cigarette company. The plain packaging legislation introduced by the former Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, needs to be supported. We need to speak out on this issue where possible.