Seanad debates

Tuesday, 16 December 2008

2:30 pm

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Labour)

Picking up on the frustrations expressed by my colleagues, it seems that these Houses are the last place the people should look to see what is being debated and what are the major decisions of Government. Ministers have come to this House in recent weeks on the request of Members from both sides to present the economic plans or proposals they may have. They have failed lamentably to do that and have come here with speeches instead. As people on this side of the House have noted, they have not included a single proposal. How can the Government attend a meeting with the social partners at 11 o'clock this morning at which the Government presented the bones of an economic plan? One would pinch oneself on what passes for democratic debate and scrutiny in this country because the Government goes to the social partners in the first instance and not the Houses of Parliament.

It is an extraordinary situation and Senator O'Toole is correct regarding the banks. Senator Fitzgerald also raised that issue and I support her proposal. She rightly asked for the Minister to share with the House such decisions he has made on the banks. The problem is worse because other than the decision made at the end of September regarding the guarantee and on which the Government is still dining out, no decisions have been made on the banks.

The Minister appears on television occasionally, looking and sounding decisive but not making a single decision. One could not make this up if one wanted to. The Government is inviting the banks to get back some time in January on what they think should happen on the Government's proposals, such as they are. What are the proposals and decisions made by Government? There is none and that is the problem. Perhaps that is why there is no debate on these issues in the House. The Government has nothing to propose. Members of this House are right to be frustrated about the manner in which they are being treated by the Government on these crucial issues.

When we look for clarity, it is almost as if we are wasting our breath because we are not getting anything. We are getting no proposals, clarity or decisions, except vague references to economic plans and proposals being brought forward in the proverbial new year.

At the risk of sounding as if everything is doom and gloom, I will make one positive point. Will the Leader convey my congratulations to Limerick County Council on a gem reported in this morning's newspapers which I welcome, namely, its decision to assign a budget to commence work on the great southern trail, a cycle route along the route of the old Limerick-Kerry railway line? It is the sort of small initiative that should be taken and supported. This will come forward in 2009. Can the Leader take an initiative, perhaps with other leaders, to organise among Members of the Seanad a cycle trip along this route next summer?

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