Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Ó Clochartaigh spoke on Traveller accommodation and I note his points. I am sure the matter is being addressed by the joint committee. On the Senator's call for a further debate on fishing, I will try to get the Minister to come to the House on that matter. I note the Senator's points about the huge trawler that is fishing off the west coast and about inquiring as to what inspections are taking place. I do not think inspections are announced. The inspectors just appear, as the Senator knows, and I am sure that may happen at some stage for trawlers of this size also.

Senator Colm Burke welcomed the excellent news of the creation of 1,000 extra jobs in Cork by Apple. He also made a very valid point that the spin-offs from the creation of these jobs are significant for other small and medium-sized enterprises.

Senator Craughwell raised the point which Senator Norris raised previously about the Clerys workers. As I mentioned to Senator Norris yesterday, I would be in full agreement that there should be a cooling-off period and people should not be notified within hours that their jobs are gone. That type of thing should be banned, there is no question about it. The Workplace Relations Bill passed through the House not so long ago. I do not know whether those points were made at that time. I agree with the Senators' sentiments and am sure there will be a mechanism so that this type of situation does not happen again.

Senator Keane called for a debate on housing and the housing assistance payment, HAP, and rental accommodation, RAS, schemes. I am sure that can be encompassed by our debate on the national tenancies Bill next week. I note the Senator's comments on the male domination of the airwaves and can tell her that is certainly not the case in this House.

Senator Walsh spoke on new jobs. As he knows, governments create the climate in which jobs are created. The high tax policies of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin will do nothing to attract such jobs to this country. That is why when people are voting-----