David Norris (Independent)

I second the amendment to the Order of Business put forward by Senator Brendan Ryan. We are beginning to see a little abuse of democracy here, with the legislation that has already been referred to and the question of the human and civil rights of asylum seekers and immigrants. In the case of the Freedom of Information Act, which was widely discussed this morning on the radio, there can be costs of up to €250 in accumulated charges for an individual to get information. That is not giving people democratic access to information. I deplore it.

I also agree with the various people who mentioned Luas and the Rail Procurement Agency – I think it was Senator Ryan. It is absolutely extraordinary. Even The Irish Times has woken up to its farcical nature. There are two separate Luas lines with different gauges and there are also different vehicles. They then have this crowd Connex running it. I presume the name refers to connection, despite the fact that the two sets of lines do not connect. They cannot integrate with anything. Certainly the first part of the name is accurate – it is a "con" all right. They have been got rid of in England for reasons of financial probity. We should wake up in this country and install the underground.

It would be very useful if we had even a brief debate on the proposed changes to the tax regime for the film industry, which earns a lot of money for talented people in this country. We are a prime location and I am afraid the Government is going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg if it removes this tax support that exists in all the other competing locations for films.