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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Order of Business

Summary

The Leader moved the day's business, and Members mostly exchanged pleasantries and light banter about the Prince of Wales' visit, with no separate substantive matter concluded in this opening portion.

The Order of Business is Nos. 1 and 2, motions re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 and Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 - continuance of certain provisions, to be taken at 12.45 p.m., to be discussed together and to conclude within 85 minutes if not previously concluded, with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, time can be shared, and those of all other Senators not to exceed four minutes, and the Minister to be given an extra four minutes to reply to the debate; No. 3, motion re commission of investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse to be taken on the conclusion of Nos. 1 and 2 and to conclude within 60 minutes if not previously concluded, with the contributions of all Senators not to exceed eight minutes, time can be shared, and the Minister to be given an extra four minutes to reply to the debate; No. 4, motion re appointment of a member to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 3 and to conclude within 60 minutes if not previously concluded, with the contributions of all Senators not to exceed eight minutes, time can be shared, and the Minister to be given an extra four minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 5, statements on matters related to a fatal road traffic collision causing the death of Mr. Shane O’Farrell in 2011, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 4 and to conclude within 60 minutes if not previously concluded, with the contributions of all Senators not to exceed eight minutes, time can be shared, and the Minister to be given an extra four minutes to reply to the debate.

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I am sure the Leas-Chathaoirleach will join me in welcoming to Kerry tomorrow the Prince of Wales and the Duchess, and I have no doubt he is looking forward to the visit.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

I referred to it yesterday on the Order of Business.

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As you should.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

I also referred to it at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Sligo over the weekend.

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Most appropriate. I am surprised to see the Leader of the House-----

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David P.B. Norris Senator David Norris Independent

Will we sing God Save the Queen at the opening of business?

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

I do not think so.

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Perhaps Senator Norris would lead us off in a tune later. He is most welcome to Kerry, of course. I am surprised to see the Leader of the House here because I would have assumed he would be down in Cork, welcoming the Prince of Wales and the Duchess.

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I was not invited.

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Of course, this is an important part of the ongoing building of relationships between these two islands, especially in light of Brexit but also in regard to the issue of the Good Friday Agreement and building bridges, which is an important part of the work of Government.

As well as that local issue, I would also like to raise another local issue of which the Leas-Chathaoirleach will be aware, namely, the amount of plastic that is appearing on Little Skellig, one of the world heritage sites designated by UNESCO. Some 70,000 gannets are nesting there, but most of their nesting material is plastic.

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There are a few gannets here.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

It is a very serious issue.

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The plastic has been mounting up in recent years given that 18 billion tonnes of plastic is dumped into the sea every year. I ask the Leader to organise a debate on that issue. Not only is it appearing on our coastline, but it is now appearing in the food chain, as highlighted in a study by NUI Galway in regard to its analysis of the fish being extracted from the sea. We might organise a debate.

Today is the first anniversary of the killing and death of 71 people in Grenfell Tower in London.

As I am sure we all know, we have spoken before in this House about the Corporate Manslaughter Bill. As well as all of the analysis and investigation taking place into the Grenfell Tower fire in London, the UK police are investigating two organisations, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the local tenant management organisation, in regard to potential corporate manslaughter laws. Unfortunately, in England nobody can go to jail for the deaths of the 71 people who lost their lives because of what the UK did in its corporate manslaughter law. The Government is proposing to do exactly what the UK did when my corporate manslaughter legislation comes before the House on, I hope, 27 June, as I outlined to the Leader yesterday during our meeting.

We must bear in mind the offences for which people are sent to jail under corporate law. A company director can go to jail for up to ten years for price fixing, engaging in theft or fraud or interfering with information. Under a justice Bill proposed by the Government, a person may be sentenced to ten years in prison for corruption. However, the Government proposes to remove from the forthcoming Bill on corporate manslaughter the section providing for jail sentences for corporate manslaughter. The Bill was proposed by the Law Reform Commission arising from the hepatitis C scandal. We now have the CervicalCheck scandal. Mrs. Vicky Phelan has represented people in this country and shown enormous courage and bravery. All she wants is to ensure no one else endures what she is enduring. As politicians, we are obliged to make sure nobody else experiences such failures and, therefore, we need to pass the Bill, as a matter of urgency.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

The Senator has had an adequate bite at the cherry.

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I thank the Leas-Cathaoirleach.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

The Senator raised three rather than two issues.

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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

He also had injury time to boot.

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Most of my time was spent responding to the Leas-Chathaoirleach's welcoming of Prince Charles to the Lakes of Killarney tomorrow.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

I thought it was the Senator who mentioned the subject first.

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I hope he receives his well deserved knighthood.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

That is enough of that baloney.

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Please God-----

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David P.B. Norris Senator David Norris Independent

Have a bit of faith, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.

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-----if the Leas-Chathaoirleach needs a sword at the Lakes of Killarney tomorrow, I have one handy.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

I call Senator Boyhan.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

Order, please.

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Tomorrow, Prince Charles can knight the Leas-Chathaoirleach on the spot in the town square in Killarney.

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Under a large branch of rhododendrons.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

We will present Prince Charles with the Order of Innisfallen. I call Senator Victor Boyhan.

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