INM pension scheme intervention
Senator Higgins criticised the ruling on her amendment and urged the Government to seek a meaningful response to the Independent News & Media pension crisis.
I want to highlight two issues quickly, but before doing so, I note that I was disappointed our amendment to the Social Welfare Bill which we will discuss later was ruled out of order. It is a missed opportunity. I urge the Leader to engage with the Minister for Social Protection to ensure he is proposing some solid and meaningful alternative way to take action in the case of Independent News & Media on the specific issue of its pension funds. While I know that we will have the opportunity to debate that issue properly later, an opportunity has been missed and we will certainly be expecting a very solid and clear message from the Minister when he attends the House later.
I was very happy to be part of the fossil-free divestment moment outside the Houses of the Oireachtas today. It is becoming a burning issue and very important. While Trinity College Dublin has moved ahead with divestment, I am happy to see that NUIG has also made a commitment to divest from over €3 million in stocks it holds in fossil fuels. I commend the fossil-free NUIG campaign for driving it.
On the question of the environment and climate change, when the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, attended the House a few weeks ago, he was asked about his plans for cycling in Dublin and the national cycling strategy. We now know that Dublin has won the opportunity to host Velo-city, the largest international conference globally on cycling.
It is a key opportunity. Therefore, I urge the Leader to ensure that when the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport comes to talk to the House about his commitments related to climate change, he will make sure cycling is specifically addressed.
With the Cathaoirleach's permission-----