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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Consular assistance after Berkeley

Summary

Senator D’Arcy asks that the Foreign Affairs Minister continue providing every possible assistance to families affected by the Berkeley tragedy; the Leader gives assurances.

I offer my sympathy to the families of those young people who lost their lives in Berkeley. Senator Mary White has said my son is in Berkeley. He is and the hour spent trying to contact him was very long, but when that was done, my heart went out to the families who have suffered the unbearable loss of their beautiful young children. I know the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will do this, but I ask the Leader to ask him to continue to provide every possible assistance for those families at this horrendous time.

I refer to what the former Irish Farmers Association president Mr. Padraig Walshe said yesterday, having been a victim of rural crime on his farm in Durrow, County Laois. He said farmers were in great danger from criminals coming onto their farms. He finds it very disheartening for farmers to see their hard-earned farm equipment being stolen by these groups. We have had a great deal of cattle and sheep rustling in County Louth in the past year in places like Knockbridge, Ravensdale and Cooley. I am pleased that the number of gardaí in training has increased and that more gardaí are being deployed. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to come to the House to discuss this issue and how the Garda will be deployed in these situations.

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Several Members who were not present yesterday and did not speak of their sadness at the tragic events in Berkeley which had led to the deaths of six of our young, bright people, with several more injured, spoke today. Our hearts go out to all of the bereaved families, to those who were injured and their many young friends there who must be very traumatised.

I note, in particular, Senator Jim D'Arcy's comments, given that he had a son there. I can assure him that staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who have been on the ground since yesterday will be doing everything they possibly can to assist the families and the boys and girls who are there.

Senator Darragh O'Brien raised the question of the sustainability of post offices. I agree with him that the forms in question have caused major concern within the post office network. To put the matter in context, there have been 24 net post office closures since the Government took office compared to 197 between 2006 and 2010. As Senator Michael Mullins mentioned, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Alex White, on behalf of the Government, launched a post office network business development group to explore commercial and public service opportunities to secure the future of the network. Yesterday the group published for consultation an interim report which found that a disproportionate amount of business was conducted in relatively few of the country's 1,440 post offices. Two thirds of all transactions are conducted in only 300 post offices, while a further 48% account for 12% of total business. Changing consumer preferences mean that many consumers no longer go to the post office, which means that post offices must continue to diversify and modernise to provide the services that will attract customers. Maintaining relevance is certainly a challenge to the post office network. The work of the business development group represents the best possible opportunity to place the post office network on a sustainable footing into the future. It has made many proposals which should be examined because we believe it is in the best interests of rural Ireland that all post office are maintained. However, they need to be supported by local communities. I certainly take on board the point made about the forms in question. We have already made representations to the Minister on that issue which was the subject of a Commencement matter last week.

On the provision of defibrillators, Senator Feargal Quinn brought forward a Bill on the issue in the House over two years ago. There was a subsequent report, either from HIQA or the HSE, which dealt mainly with the issue of cost. However, what cost can we put on a life? The point made on CPR is a good one. As Senator Diarmuid Wilson mentioned, such training is provided by Youthreach and some schools. It should form part of the curriculum, especially in transition year. I will certainly bring the matter to the attention of the Minister for Education and Skills because it would be sensible for young people to know how to perform CPR. The Senator mentioned how important such training was in the specific case of Michael Lyster who certainly would not be with us now if his wife did not possess such skills, which are very important.

Senator Ivana Bacik called for a debate on the repercussions of the closure of Clerys. We discussed this issue on the Order of Business yesterday and it was the subject of a Commencement matter this morning. I am happy that the concession holders will be given back their stock, but they are not receiving their money which was held in trust for them. That is a very important issue which will have to be dealt with.

Senator Ivana Bacik also mentioned that the sex offenders Bill would be brought forward during July. She called for debates on the issues of victims' rights and child marriage. We will try to arrange debates on them.

Senator Terry Leyden referred to the Rosalie unit in Castlerea, in respect of which he proposed an amendment to the Order of Business. The matter was raised by Senator John Kelly at a meeting of his parliamentary party and by Deputy Frank Feighan at a meeting of my parliamentary party. The Government fully supports the motion which we will accept and which can be taken without debate. We have no problem in accepting it.

Senator Hildegarde Naughton spoke about Irish Water and the problems in Oranmore which were mentioned in the House last week. As she rightly said, negotiations took place between everybody involved. That is the way everything should be done. The works were rescheduled and this €5.7 million critical infrastructural project will now go ahead.

Senator Kathryn Reilly called for a debate on the victims of sexual assaults. She mentioned the cuts in funding for Rape Crisis Network Ireland which were mentioned yesterday on the Order of Business. However, it is only fair to point out that the centre in Dublin did not see any cut this year.

Senator Aideen Hayden referred to the rental sector. We have had a few debates on housing and the rental sector, but, in view of the Minister's new proposals, we will try to arrange a further debate on the issue.

In the absence of Senator Mark Daly yesterday, a number of Senators raised the question of collusion which was the subject of an RTE documentary which was praised. I also mentioned yesterday that I was involved in considering that module of the Barron report. Everything that was included in the RTE documentary formed part of the Barron report which the Government and all parties supported. The Government supports fully what is contained in the motion which I am accepting and which may be taken without debate today. It is in keeping with Government policy. As I said yesterday, the Government, as it has done to date, will be pressing for the documents to be made available. We will continue to press to have them published. In addition, despite the apology made by the British Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron, the Government still insists that there be a public inquiry into the death of Mr. Pat Finucane. Let us not play politics on this issue, although I am not suggesting anyone is doing so. There is unity of purpose in this regard and let us continue to proceed in that way. We fully support the motion which, as I said, may be taken without debate today.

Senator Colm Burke referred to the report of the Joint Committee on Health on the cost of professional indemnity insurance. We will try to arrange a debate on that issue.

Because of the number of debates I will be trying to arrange between now and the end of July, we will certainly have a busy time, given the amount of legislation with which we will also have to deal.

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