Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I support what Senator Brian Hayes said and I compliment RTE on the responsible manner in which it addressed the issue. I found the programme ending so distasteful that I was unable to watch and turned away. Many parents in Ireland would be greatly reassured if the evidence uncovered by that excellent investigative documentary was given to the Garda for investigation. All Members of the House will probably agree with that because it is the way forward not in terms of sensationalism, but of using the information gathered.

We have had a number of discussions in the House recently on European affairs and we have had visits by Members of the European Parliament. It would be worthwhile to have discussed and explained in the House a very crucial point now being addressed in Europe by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen. The Government has found the precise balance between our responsibilities to other members of the European Union and the guarantees of our own sovereignty in deciding not to rule out supporting a fellow member state of the EU, but to make the decision in the Houses at our discretion afterwards and not as part of any requirement or condition. This is an important issue and the Government is to be complimented on finding the perfect balance in this matter. It is also one which meets the views of all sides, including those of Fine Gael, which went further in its recent Private Members' debate.

Towards the end of a session it is appropriate to mention the importance of drawing good people into politics. We have discussed this matter many times. Maurice Manning, Fintan Coogan, Mick Lanigan, Liam Cosgrave, Tom Fitzgerald, Máirín Quill, Dick Spring, Austin Currie, Nora Owen and many others have given their lives to politics. We must commend Nora Owen, for example, who served in the Oireachtas from 1981 until 2002, whatever our view of her politics. It is disgraceful that not one of the people I have named would be entitled to draw a pension if the Government's budget proposals were currently in effect. We will not attract people into politics if we do this. If it is wrong for the people I mentioned, it will be wrong for future Members. This matter should be discussed in this House. Whatever our criticism of the Minister for Finance he has always supported attracting the best people into politics. This is a real problem which is being spun by the Department of Finance. I ask for a discussion on that aspect of the budget. It is in the interest of politics and in all our interests that Oireachtas pension arrangements are family friendly and appropriate.