Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

As this is my first time to speak on the Order of Business I want to congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his appointment and wish him every success in the Chair.

I concur with the comments of Senator Fitzgerald and abhor the killings that occurred since we spoke here last week. As spokesman on justice in this House for the third time, I will not have any difficulty if the Government decides to invoke the Special Criminal Court to deal with these serious crimes. I am aware there is a reluctance in that regard on the part of certain civil liberties groups and I would be slow to go down that road. However, because of the escalation in the level of violence I ask the Leader to convey my concerns that if these gangland, drug-related mercenary assassinations by people who are paid to carry out these crimes continue week in, week out we may have to invoke the Special Criminal Court.

We are approaching the winter season. The clocks go back one hour next weekend and we will experience long nights. I raised this issue many years ago, which concerns the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and I ask the Leader to examine it. I would like the wearing of reflective vests or armbands to be made compulsory for pedestrians, particularly young children and the elderly. In a recent incident in east Cork two people going to mass early in the morning were knocked down. Unfortunately, one of them died. As someone who has one of the longest journeys to make to and from the Oireachtas, I dread meeting people clad in dark clothing on winter mornings, including children alighting from buses in the darkness. Although every attempt may be made to avoid such accidents, the driver is not always at fault. It would not cost much to issue up to 50,000 reflective armbands to schools and pensioners, but it might save lives. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on this matter, which is appropriate given the approach of winter.