Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I disagree with some of my colleagues who have questioned the lowering of the alcohol limit for drink driving. I believe this is necessary and the legislation should come before the House as soon as possible. It has already happened in many countries throughout the European Union. Ireland received an exemption some years ago and was not required to lower the alcohol limit to 50 milligrams. We need to stamp out the culture where it is possible to leave a pub having consumed alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car. The campaigns running throughout the State suggests that we should not drink and drive, but the law allows for it. I welcome the pending legislation in this area and I hope it is passed without delay.

I share the concerns raised by some Senators on the fuel blockade in Israel. This House needs to do everything in its power to ensure the blockade is lifted. There are 650,000 people suffering at present and the United Nations will not be able to reach these people with food supplies from next week. I appeal to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to engage directly with the Israeli authorities to try to influence the lifting of that blockade immediately.

I call for a debate on the issue of a group of employees who are being paid below the minimum wage, a group of employees who do not have access to pensions rights, PRSA, sick leave schemes or promotional opportunities. The rights and entitlements of these people are being abused. Senators may think these employees are being hired by an unscrupulous agency — we previously had a debate about agency workers in this House — but that is not the case. I refer to employees working in our primary and secondary schools, namely, caretakers and school secretaries. Some are paid as little as €6.02 per hour. They are paid indirectly by the Department of Education and Science with the Minister's full knowledge that such people are being paid below the minimum wage. One school secretary is being paid €6.02 per hour, another is paid €7.70 and another little more than €8 per hour. It is appalling that the Minister and the Department of Education and Science allow Irish workers to be abused in this way. I call for an urgent debate on this issue.

In regard to the debate that will take place today between 2 p.m and 2.45 p.m. — if it is a debate — where An Taoiseach will address this House on the Good Friday Agreement and the Lisbon treaty, is it proposed that this will be the only debate on the Good Friday Agreement? I have called time and again for a debate on this matter as there are serious issues that we need to address. The Good Friday Agreement is not the endgame; there are many outstanding issues that need to be addressed. Allowing 45 minutes does not do justice to the topic. I ask for the Good Friday Agreement debate to be scheduled as a matter of urgency. It should not be coupled with the Lisbon treaty debate as they are separate issues, each of national importance. It is right and fitting that An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in his last days in that role should address the House on these two issues. However I ask the Leader for a guarantee that the Good Friday Agreement debate will take place and I urge him to accept my request that we invite Dr. Ian Paisley, as the First Minister, and the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland here for that debate.