Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

It looks like Members are bidding for the spare time, which means I am involved in a tender process. Senator Brian Hayes also mentioned Sellafield and planning issues. I said yesterday that a debate on planning had been arranged for a particular week, but the Minister became ill. I hope to rearrange that debate.

Senator O'Toole agreed with Senator Brian Hayes. He also raised the issue of Kenmare fishing rights. We will try to find out the current position. The Senator asked that the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources should come into the House for a debate on the issue.

Senator O'Meara mentioned the tribunals and the statement by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform this morning on the radio. Timing is everything. If any of us had said 12 months ago what we said in the House this morning about the tribunals, we would be arraigned and everyone would be writing articles about how awful we were in trying to impede the course of justice. However, time has moved on and the insane length of time which has elapsed has left us reeling.

As I left the office this morning a letter came through on the fax machine from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, asking me to convey to the House certain matters regarding the tribunal. I did not have time to read it, but I will bring it to the House tomorrow. I will send it to everyone in the meantime because the Houses of the Oireachtas set up the tribunal.