John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I agree with Senator de Búrca's points on food security. Members have been calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to come to the House for some time and I hope the Leader can arrange such a discussion before the summer recess. It would be apt and timely to so do. A number of issues have arisen, particularly regarding the production of bio-fuels and the consequential impact on the price and availability of food around the world. It now is a moral question in that as a First World community, we have pumped resources into the development of bio-fuels at a time when many people throughout the world still live in hunger. These two positions cannot be reconciled and Members should have a debate in this regard. When does the Leader believe the Chemicals Bill will come before the House? While it was scheduled for today, I understand it is still before the other House. Perhaps the Leader will indicate when the debate is due to take place.

I agree with the point raised by Senator Coffey regarding palliative care and the lack of provision in the south-eastern region. I also agree with Senator O'Donovan, who raised the issue of fishermen, as he has done on a number of previous occasions, and a debate should be held in this regard. Although I do not come from a coastal community like other Members, the fishing industry should be protected. No other industry has lost out more since Ireland's entry to the European Union and a debate on this issue should be held as soon as possible. Moreover, as part of that debate or perhaps in a subsequent discussion, Members should debate the ongoing increase in the price of fuel, which I also mentioned last week. This has knock-on effects for fishermen, for contractors of different sorts and, obviously, for hauliers. The latter are considering taking drastic action which, were it to happen, would have highly detrimental effects nationwide.

I join with Senator Fitzgerald and nearly everyone else who has spoken on the Order of Business who has raised the issue of the economy and the need for a debate on that subject. Members have been calling for such a debate for months. I was spokesman on finance for almost four years during the lifetime of the last Seanad and at every possible opportunity, I raised the economy's over-reliance on the construction sector. The Taoiseach, Deputy Cowen, was Minister for Finance for most of that period and his then Minister of State is the head of the Construction Industry Federation at present. They repeatedly came before this House, denied that Ireland was over-reliant on anything and stated that everything would continue rosily into the future. It is appalling that the Government has moved from the position of the past 18 months, in which it denied we have a problem, to the remarks of Deputy Brian Lenihan last weekend, when he sank to new depths of self-pity in his position as Minister for Finance. If anybody is in danger of talking the economy into recession, it is the Minister with his shocking comments last weekend. I urge the Leader to have that debate before the summer recess. If possible, we should have it this week.