Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I renew my call for an answer to my question on when the debate on the Climate Protection Bill 2008 can be resumed. This is the third day I have asked the question. I asked the Deputy Leader the question on Tuesday and was given an ambiguous answer on the resumption of the debate. I am anxious to have the debate resumed. It is timely in a week when a US President has been elected who is committed to reducing emissions in the US by 80% by 2050 and the British Parliament passed a law last week which will have the same effect. It is timely that we have a debate on this Bill, which aims to achieve the same result in Ireland. I ask the Leader for a less ambiguous response or I will have to call next week for an amendment to the Order of Business on this matter.

I also ask the Leader for a debate on the cutbacks to human rights and equality bodies, in particular the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority. The severe cuts represent a quiet coup that undermines and neuters these two very important bodies. There had been, prior to the budget, a well publicised proposal that the bodies might be merged, but, happily, that was not done. The effect of the serious cutbacks in funding provided for the bodies next year will have a similar effect of neutering voices that were justifiably critical of certain Government policies.

At a time when there are severe rises in unemployment, with a record rise of 15,000 in the last month alone, we need real protections for the vulnerable and disadvantage in our society. It is very short-sighted to cut funding for human rights and the Equality Authority.