Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

A number of areas are extremely important and require further discussion, debate and review by this House. The report of an bord snip nua is being presented to Government today. Presuming the report is published, we will not be in session to discuss its vital recommendations. The implementation plan for the Ryan report was meant to be published in July. Again, that report should be discussed in this House. That vital report was critical of society and we should be here when it is given to Government so that we will have an opportunity to discuss its recommendations. If we owe anything to the victims whose plight was outlined in the Ryan report, we should be here to discuss the recommendations and the report of the Minister of State with special responsibility for children and young people, Deputy Barry Andrews.

We have yet to hear whether the Minister of State has information for this House on the bilateral agreement with Vietnam. Does the Leader have information for the House in that regard? Hundreds of families are waiting to hear the outcome of the visit by the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, to Vietnam and whether agreement can be reached on this critical bilateral agreement for many families.

This House will adjourn today, at a time when thousands of people are losing their jobs and the unemployment rate is fast approaching 15%. No job creation programme has been put forward by the Government. The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment has not come to the House to explain how the Government proposes to assist hard-pressed families, hundreds more of which each day are newly faced with unemployment. We will oppose the Order of Business on the grounds that the Seanad should sit next week to get on with the task of addressing these important issues.