Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

To allay the fears of the Senator, I support the call for the quick installation of speed cameras. We will have an urgent debate and an update on road safety with the Minister before the Easter recess, if the House agrees.

Senator Norris proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, which was seconded by Senator Bacik and was clarified by Senator Boyle. I propose to support the amendment and I will take No.6 as an amendment to my proposal with the agreement of the House later on.

Senators Alex White, Boyle, Leyden and McDonald all expressed different views on the Taoiseach. Natural justice must always be the order of the day. I look forward to the Taoiseach addressing this House and I hope the issue he addresses will be of great significance to our country and to future generations. It is on that invitation I will propose that he address the House. I take on board the views of all Senators but particularly the views of young Members such as Senator McDonald and what she had to say on the current debacle. The Senators also called for a debate on privilege and I have no difficulty in setting aside some time for this.

Senators Boyle, McCarthy and Buttimer spoke about national aviation policy, especially Shannon, Cork and Dublin airports. I certainly will allow a debate on this which I hope will take place before the Easter recess as well. I will pass on their views to the Minister.

Senator Coghlan and Senator Glynn called for an urgent debate on children and I can facilitate their request. The experiences and concerns they highlighted are alarming to say the least.

Senator Doherty called for a debate on collusion. Senator Walsh also called for a similar debate and asked for an all-party motion. I will bring this to the attention of the leaders of the various groups in the House and we will discuss it at our meeting next Tuesday.

Senator Cannon, Senator Hanafin and others called for an update on the position in which 6,000 farmers find themselves regarding REPS payments. In the course of the ongoing discussions on the payment arrangements for REPS 4, the European Commission raised questions last month about the established practice of paying REPS 2 and REPS 3 farmers at the beginning of each contract year. At that stage, around €6 million had been paid to REPS 2 and REPS 3 farmers since 1 January 2008. The Department officials have argued strongly with the Commission that the practice of paying at the start of the contract year is well established and that the Commission is well aware of this. The Department's position was outlined in considerable detail at the meeting with the Commission in Brussels on 25 January 2008. The Minister, Deputy Mary Coughlan, made the same point directly to the Commissioner when she met her in Dublin last week. She emphasised the seriousness with which she regarded the situation.

The Minister and her officials are pressing for a quick resolution to the issue and high level contacts are ongoing with the Commission. Until the matter is clarified, however, the Department is not in a position to release any further payments under REPS 2 and REPS 3. I assure the House that we will monitor this weekly and when it is appropriate, the Minister will come to the House to hear the views of Senators. We all support the plight of the 6,000 farmers as correctly outlined to the House by Senators Cannon and Hanafin.

Senator Ann Ormonde called for an urgent debate on East Timor and for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to be invited to the House to discuss the matter after his visit there. We have had many debates on East Timor in this House over the years. I have no difficulty in arranging for that debate. The Minister has agreed to come to the House to have a wide-ranging discussion on the foreign affairs portfolio. Perhaps we will defer the holding of that debate until after his visit to East Timor.

Senators Ormonde, Burke and Coffey called for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to be invited to the House to debate issues pertaining to local authorities, local authority developments, planning guidelines and various other matters. I have no difficulty in such a debate taking place.

Senators Ó Domhnaill and Keaveney condemned the killing of a man at 7.30 p.m. yesterday in Donegal and called for communities, North and South, to support the Garda and the PSNI in their investigations. We lend full support to that call and extend our sympathies to the family of that unfortunate man who lost his life in such a tragic way.

Senators Bacik and McDonald called for support in encouraging women to enter politics. I have already made known my view on encouraging women to become involved in public life. We all should do our best in that respect. Politics is not an easy life but we all know of great public representatives, male and female, who served in this House over the years. It is lovely to see all the young ladies who have joined us in this Seanad and I look forward to working closely with them and wish them all the very best. As Members will be aware, I cannot express my view on the elections in America, but everyone knows where my heart lies in that regard.

Senator Coffey inquired about including a proposal in the social welfare Bill which will be before Seanad in the coming weeks. I will pass on his views on the waiver scheme for domestic refuse charges. His proposal is worthy of inclusion in that Bill. I suggest that he request his Dáil colleagues and other Members require their Dáil colleagues to put forward that point in regard to that Bill. Those who are on the breadline and can only afford the basics of tea, butter, bread and sugar are most in need a waiver for domestic refuse charges. I fully support that call. The Deputy's party might even table a Private Members' motion on this matter. The introduction of wheelie bin collections to promote a cleaner, greener Ireland has resulted in a marvellous transformation in dealing with refuse. Anything that would enhance and help everyone to participate in that initiative would be welcome and for the sake of the expenditure of few extra euro, the introduction of a waiver scheme for refuse charges has been a godsend. I support that proposal by Senator Coffey.

The Senator also expressed his support for volunteers and called for a debate to support them. The Taoiseach has been to the forefront in his support of volunteers and volunteerism. The Red Cross and the other organisations the Senator mentioned need our support. I have no difficulty in making time available for such a debate. It could well be the subject of an all-party motion. I will discuss with the leaders at next Tuesday's meeting the tabling of an all-party motion on how the Seanad and Dáil can play a part in acknowledging and supporting the plight of the volunteer.

Senator Keaveney called for the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism to be invited to the House to debate the issue of the traditional arts.