Joe O'Toole (Independent)

On that latter point, I am sure the Leader will be happy to confirm that the Seanad reform group is writing to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges of both Houses on that issue this week with the idea of moving it on.

On the Iran issue, it is crucial that there is an international response to his comments for the second time in two months. We should be aware that, perhaps, unlike other similar states, the President of Iran is playing national politics on the international stage. Clearly, he is losing the battle in terms of fundamentalism within his own bailiwick. Recent reports from Tehran show clearly that there are two societies in Iran and that many people are taking a much more progressive view. It is nice to see young women and young men walk down the streets in parts of Tehran holding hands and so on, something which was unheard of years ago. It is important that those people hear our voices in response and to that extent I fully agree with the point made by Senator Brian Hayes.

In the past week we had another appalling situation where seven people from the Middle East, in particular, working in this country were paid a paltry €2 per hour by a company called A1 Plastering which was doing work for a huge construction company, JJ Rattigan. That has been reported. I want people to recognise again that we have a serious problem in convincing those in the business community who are exploiting migrant workers, those who come into the State, that this is utterly wrong.

This is particularly important if we are looking at a new social partnership. I ask Members when speaking with people who run medium-sized enterprises whose spokespersons shout off at the mouth on radio and television, week after week, to be aware that if we pay workers lower wages we collect lower taxes, if we collect lower taxes, we cannot put money into health and education. If we pay lower wages to people it means they have less marginal income and the first people to lose will be the business community. It is in their interests, if they want to be selfish about it, but if we do not collect tax from one place it has to come from another.

We are creating a wealthy society in order to ensure the standards of living of all people in society, whether one is running a business or working for a business person, or whether one is in the public or private sector. That is what we are trying to achieve and that is what we need to ensure we deliver. It is pure practical simple politics. If we do not pay people more we pay the price at the end.

Agus mé ag caint anseo inné, dúras cúpla rud mar gheall ar an Acht teangan, agus go mórmhór the difficulties to which the Taoiseach referred in the other House about the significant costs for the publication of annual reports. I said we should be careful about that and, perhaps, the Act needs to be reviewed. The Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, was good enough to contact me during the course of the past 24 hours. I made the point here yesterday that we could have the report properly translated but it need not necessarily be published in hard copy but could be published on the web. He said he is happy with that suggestion. His interpretation is that it will suffice if a report is published on the web. However, he wanted the publication to be simultaneous and I agree.

The Taoiseach got incorrect information when he spoke in the Dáil last week — which he has since corrected — about the costs of the English and Irish versions. It means we do not need to produce large numbers of publications in hard copy in the Irish language. If they are translated properly and available on the Internet that will be satisfactory. That is an important issue.