Dan Boyle (Green Party)

It might help the individuals concerned, but we heard a very positive comment this week from the President of the European Central Bank, who talked about our general ability to work ourselves out of this crisis. That international view is the type of signal we should be working on. If we keep going in the direction we have been taking on lower tax receipts and inability to meet the gap, we might come close to the types of situations indicated by those Senators, but it is far from fair to indicate that we are there now or to create an impression that there is an air of hopelessness about this. I have faith in the ability of the people to meet the economic challenges ahead but it can be done only in a non-partisan, non-point scoring way. If we have this anticipated debate it will be a forum to allow such views to be expressed.

Senator Ó Murchú asked for a debate on media responsibility which follows from a number of requests made yesterday, and time should be provided to allow that to happen. Senator Healy Eames talked about mortgage protection. She should be aware that in the recapitalisation legislation passed by these Houses there is a provision that over a 12-month period there will be no repossessions. This morning there is a direct meeting between the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, representatives of the Irish Banking Federation, the Financial Regulator and other interests to see how this can be pursued to ensure it has a practical effect and that the fear of house repossessions does not hang over many of our citizens.

Senators Hanafin, Leyden and Buttimer mentioned social welfare services and social welfare fraud. Several points need to be brought to the attention of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and provide the basis for a wide-ranging debate in this House. The unacceptable delay in new entrants to the job seeker's allowance and benefit has been caused by the numbers of people losing their jobs. Since the beginning of this year 1,000 people per day have lost their jobs. That represents 3% of those who were at work, and the scale of that to be dealt with by social welfare officers has caused the Minister to transfer civil servants from other Departments to deal with the applications. It is hoped the new system will ensure the benefits are given as quickly as possible.

Senator Norris talked about the European Defence Agency and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's views on that issue. In developing a rolling declaration that would become a protocol in a future European Union treaty for the accession of a country such as Iceland or Croatia, the issue of foreign and security policy may convince a significant number of people who voted "No" in the last referendum to vote "Yes" subsequently. The Minister's comments were an effort to inform that. Senator Norris also mentioned Transparency International, which was referred to yesterday, and there is no difficulty about a debate on that. The Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill awaits Report Stage in the Dáil and will come to this House once it is finished there. Senator Norris referred to comments by the Ombudsman seeking a role in that area, and legislation about upgrading the functions of the Ombudsman's office is pending, so we will have two opportunities to examine that area in discussing legislation in this House.

Senator Bacik asked about publication of the Commission on Taxation report, which will be very helpful in the next year in defining what we should be doing regarding taxation. If there are completed papers, they can and should be made public and that will help our immediate situation. She also made a very helpful suggestion on using the debates we have had in this House in support of Ms Ingrid Betancourt's plight and the adversity she faced as an individual as an example to this country in difficult times. Considering some of the negative comments that were made today, it is fair to say we live on a planet where one third of the population lives on less than $2 per day. Despite the fall in economic growth and growing unemployment, this is still a very rich country in global terms and we need to be reminded of that from time to time. The mechanism for a request such as Senator Bacik's is the Cathaoirleach and the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I am sure the committee will look favourably on that.