Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I wish to be associated with your comments, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I was involved in a car crash some years ago and I know it is a traumatic experience. I am glad to see the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, back and about. I hope his secretary makes a speedy recovery.

I also wish the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, every success in his new portfolio. I welcome him to the Seanad. I believe this is his first time in the Chamber as Minister of State. I have no doubt he will be here many times in the future.

However, I disagree with his announcement not to fulfil the Government's promise to meet the UN target for the overseas development aid budget. The Government should honour its commitment in that regard. Last year, with a group led by the former Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, I visited Lesotho. It was wonderful to see the work being done by the Irish voluntary agencies in that country. Today, in discussing the budget we have used the word "poverty" but one must visit a country like Lesotho to understand the meaning of the word. I urge the Minister of State to honour that commitment as soon as possible. Ireland should lead the way in overseas aid. Our own chequered history should give us the impetus to do so.

If Senator O'Toole comes to the House I would like to share a minute of my time with him.

The other day I spoke to a friend who intends to visit Lanzarote on holiday over Christmas. When he booked his holiday his travel agent told him his passport must be valid for six months after the date of his return to Ireland. He queried this requirement because he felt a passport must be either valid or invalid. He went to his local Garda station in Carlow where he was told the gardaí have been besieged with similar requests for clarification. As far as the Garda is concerned, a passport is valid if it is valid for the period spent travelling.

Countries operate different systems but I would have expected EU member states to apply a standard system. A member of the staff of the House has told me that friends of hers were not allowed to disembark from a bus while passing through Kuala Lumpur last December because their passports were valid only until the following February. Irish citizens when travelling abroad should not be required to comply with this stupid rule.

This matter may be beyond the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs. We are very lucky to be members of the European Union and the Minister should insist at Council of Ministers meetings that the rules which apply to Irish citizens when travelling abroad should be the same as pertain in our own jurisdiction. The requirement that a passport be valid for six months after the end of a foreign journey should not apply.

Ireland did not sign the Schengen Agreement because Great Britain did not sign it. It may be time to look at that issue again. I ask the Minister of State to address that point in his speech.