Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator O'Toole's call for a debate on the national pensions reserve fund. The fund was an enlightened initiative which afforded no political advantage to the Minister at the time. It recognised the changing demographics which there will be a continuing need to address.

I would be very concerned if funding for this were abandoned. It could be funded at a lower level. I agree with Senator O'Toole that a debate might encompass how we could use the fund productively in much needed infrastructure, such as roads and public transport which would yield a payback.

The example of National Toll Roads shows this would be a prudent investment because it is making at least high double figures in its internal rate of returns on the small sum invested in the Westlink toll bridge. We also need to consider the traffic congestion that bridge is causing. We asked before for a debate specifically on that bottleneck which is a cash cow for National Toll Roads.

Will the Leader arrange a debate before Easter on the report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings? In particular, we need to discuss the failure of the British authorities to co-operate with the inquiry, highlighted in that report. This underlines the criticism made by Mr. Justice Barron, who chaired that inquiry. The Oireachtas committee's report illustrates that failure as a significant breach of the Good Friday Agreement. This House should address this urgently.