Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Finucane's call for a debate on insurance and on other sectors. I take on board Senator Morrissey's point that there is an onus on consumers to shop around and, thus, generate the competition that leads to best prices. The Central Bank, however, issued a report yesterday that showed that interest rates on both deposit and loan accounts are not as favourable here as they are in other euro zone areas. The Tánaiste's investigation into dentists, doctors, solicitors and other professions indicates that we should have a debate on price control. The Tánaiste opposes price controls – she supports market forces – but where there is an obvious failure, the State has a duty to intervene to ensure consumers get value for money. People are now going to Northern Ireland to get dental treatment at a fraction of the cost of treatment here. I was in the North recently and I came across people who were there for that purpose. It highlights our failure to achieve competitive prices. The debate should also cover non-productive areas, such as barristers' fees, that are fleecing the productive sector of the economy and affecting economic growth. The Leader might get ask the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to look at the mechanisms for public hearings by committees of the House. The non-compellability of witnesses is a fundamental flaw in the apparatus and operation of the Houses of the Oireachtas and it does not appear to be addressed at all. It is not a matter for Government but for the Houses to take the initiative in this regard. Perhaps the Committee on Procedure and Privileges of the Seanad might do this and in conjunction with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in the Dáil take legal advice and come to some conclusions.