Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I support the brave efforts of my colleague, Senator Ó Murchú in the case ofChristy McGrath. Senator Finucane referred to the meeting of the sub-committee on human rights last week. I compliment the chairman of the sub-committee, Senator Bradford, on his initiative in pursuing one matter on the committee's priority programme, namely the status of Irish prisoners overseas. I was appalled at the long list of violations in the presentation to the sub-committee. Senator O'Toole, a senior trade unionist, will be surprised to learn that many of the recommendations agreed under Sustaining Progress in 2002 have not been implemented. This was not exclusively a Government issue, but the social partners on the status and human rights of Irish prisoners overseas. There is a long catalogue of violations, which four years on have not yet been resolved.

The sub-committee, under Senator Bradford, intends to call in the relevant Departments to ask why they have not implemented these recommendations. We are talking in the same vein as Senator Ó Murchú about Christy McGrath's situation. As Senator Finucane has pointed out some families are not only suffering emotionally but also financially because they do not have the resources to regularly see their sons, daughters, brothers or sisters who are in jails throughout the world. Senator Ó Murchú's intervention in this serious issue is timely. One can only support him in this issue.

The Leader should consider a debate on immigration reform legislation in the autumn. In reply to Senator Ryan's comments, this country has been extraordinarily generous following the EU enlargement process. Ireland and the United Kingdom are the only member states that have opened their borders to their fellow EU citizens from the eastern European new member states who are seeking work. Inevitably, there had to be qualifying conditions which are in place to ensure those who enter the country are not a burden on the State. That happens in every other country. For one year, a person is not entitled to benefits.