Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Ó Murchú and compliment him on his tenacity on the issue. We all received documentation on the issue recently and it made for grim reading about the British system of justice.

We recently attended a meeting with a deputation from the Catholic church that does tremendous work with prisoners abroad. It expressed to us the inadequacy of the assistance it is getting from the State for what it is trying to do, particularly with prisoners in Britain and South and Central America where significant funding is required to assist them. I was shocked when one of the clerics stated that there are such difficulties in repatriating Irish prisoners from England that members of the IRA would be repatriated more quickly.

Irish Travellers who go to England are finding particular difficulties with regard to their ethnic background because the British justice system has no appreciation of their ethnicity. As well as Christy McGrath, we should remember the many other prisoners who have been forgotten by this country, usually those who emigrate as a result of social and family breakdown. They are falling between the cracks.

As a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, I am concerned about the energy issue. It is shocking that the Irish consumer who saw electricity prices rise by 29% since 2003 may be faced with an increase of up to 36% in the near future because of the ESB statement on the cost of fossil fuels. This is a result of the war in Iraq and the scarcity of oil. The Minister cannot be criticised on this issue because most Ministers are fireproofed by regulators, in this case the energy regulator. So far when a percentage increase was sought, the energy regulator approved it. I contrast this with ComReg which held off indefinitely when An Post sought an increase in the price of a postage stamp. Last year the ESB turned over a profit of €250 million. With regards to the validity of the claim and the changes the ESB made within its structure, it still cannot be given carte blanche on this matter. The consumer will suffer another crippling increase later this year. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, must come to the House to debate the energy issue.