Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Fitzgerald, Norris, Hannigan, Keaveney and Buttimer expressed concerns about the Monageer report. As the Taoiseach has said, the Government was constrained by the advice of the Attorney General. The advice of the Attorney General must be taken and this is the reason a considerable part of the report has been blotted out. Next week I will discuss with the Leaders of the groups how we can facilitate a debate on the published part of the report at the earliest time. Also, Senator Fitzgerald referred to child protection and funding for vulnerable families. I agree with her sentiments and we will do all we can to support vulnerable people, no matter how bad the economy.

Senators Fitzgerald, Quinn, Callely and Cannon called for a debate on competitiveness. Senator Coghlan asked when the Finance Bill will be debated. Second Stage will take place on the last Thursday of this month, 28 May. The competitiveness debate will be timely. We must come to terms with competitiveness in the public and private sectors. The private sector has shown the way, as stated by Senator Quinn, because it is compulsory in most cases. If people do not lower income by 10% and 20% companies will not survive.

I refer to the expertise available at SR Technics to Europe and the airline business. If this expertise leaves our shores we will never see it again. It has taken 30 or 40 years for us to be recognised as a leader in this field. Workers in the private sector may have to take a reduced income to keep expertise and jobs here. Many of those men and women have been employed in the area for a considerable period and will find it extremely difficult to be retrained. Competitiveness is the single greatest challenge. I am prepared to offer an entire day's debate, before the Finance Bill, if possible, where Members can make a 15 minute contribution with the Minister present. I will discuss this with the leaders of the groups at next week's meeting.

I refer to the experience outlined to the House on the job seeker's programme in France. We can examine this and see how we can encourage it. Some 1,000 projects have been given out in France and Ireland has been known for its voluntary work. The greatest thing a young person or an unemployed person can have in the morning is something to do that day. It is a contradiction to have nothing to do in the day after being educated in one of the best systems we have seen in the history of the country. We owe it to these unemployed men, women, boys and girls to have something in place. Senator Cannon referred to insurance. Surely this should not be a barrier placed by a local authority, when such a body can show the lead as it did during the 1980s with FÁS schemes. This was another time when we experienced a massive downturn.

Senators Norris and Prendergast expressed serious concern about funding for Crumlin children's hospital. We all supported and subscribed to fund-raising for Crumlin children's hospital over the past 20 years. If a child's life is in danger and funding is the problem, the people are never found wanting. I will take this issue up with the Minister, who is very supportive of Crumlin children's hospital. It is very close to where she was reared.

Regarding human rights and other issues brought to my attention by Senators Norris and Fitzgerald concerning the unfortunate lady held in captivity for 19 years in Burma, I have no difficulty in having time left aside for this to be debated in the House. Regarding Senators Norris and Mullen on overseas aid, we have heard various percentages over the years. I saw the new Minister of State, Deputy Power, interviewed on television in recent weeks. He said that from 1997 to 2007, our allocation increased twentyfold, a statistic of which we can be proud.