Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Yesterday a number of Deputies and Senators attended a cross-party meeting with Pamela Izevbekhai which included a briefing on her current legal situation. This is the woman whose eldest daughter died as a result of genital mutilation. She has two other children and is asking to remain in this country. I make a plea to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to give Ms Izevbekhai peace of mind during the Christmas period. There is legal uncertainty about what will happen to her during the next few weeks if the European Court of Human Rights makes a decision that is not in her favour. I ask the Minister to do this on humanitarian grounds. I know he is worried about setting a precedent, but to lose one's eldest daughter to such a procedure surely entitles one to humanitarian treatment. In view of the other decisions he has made on human rights issues in this country, it is about time he made a decision about this woman on humanitarian grounds. I know from yesterday's meeting that there is cross-party support for this.

The question of democratic accountability is an issue raised by a number of Senators this week. It refers to the Government presenting its plans to the Houses of the Oireachtas. We have heard cries for patriotism in recent weeks and months because of the dire economic situation. However, today, on the last sitting day of the Dáil and the second last day before this House rises for the Christmas recess until 27 January, for what is too lengthy a period, the Taoiseach will be announcing a plan for economic renewal in Dublin Castle this afternoon without giving these Houses any details and with no opportunity for debate here. If this plan is to succeed, it must be presented to all parties. There must be critical analysis, not glitzy public relations events. There must be detailed and critical analysis and discussion with all the parties in the Dáil and the Seanad.

The Taoiseach says one thing and then does something else. He goes off and announces it outside these Houses. It is disgraceful in the context of the national crisis which we are facing. He should be bringing those plans in here so that they can be discussed in detail. He should be looking for consensus on certain issues and at least giving people who have been elected to both Houses the opportunity to discuss the current national situation, but he is not doing that. He is choosing instead to go up to Dublin Castle, have a PR event and the Dáil and Seanad will go into recess.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that the economic plan be brought before this House and discussed today. We do not know how detailed or comprehensive is the plan which the Taoiseach is announcing today or whether it is just a general framework.