Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Fitzgerald, Donohoe, Keaveney, Twomey, Feeney and Buttimer all expressed the shock and horror of Members at what happened to Adrian Ronan, his wife and family and the horrific ordeal they experienced over the past 36 hours. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, or a Minister of State will be in the House this afternoon on Committee Stage of the Criminal Procedure Bill and I am sure colleagues can find ways to highlight their serious concern with him. The Garda Síochána is doing everything it can. This is an entirely new dimension in these activities taking place in this country and we wish the Garda, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and everybody connected well in their endeavour. There are special units within the Garda to deal with this and they are having success.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin, was in the House yesterday for a very enlightening debate. I am sorry there was not enough time for the very many Members who wished to speak. We will have another debate in the near future on Northern Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement and all issues relating to North-South relations. The Minister is totally committed to coming to the House on an ongoing basis for such debates and said so yesterday in the Chamber. The challenges now being faced by the Garda and the banking fraternity possibly result from organisation splinter groups getting involved in these activities. When the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is present on Committee Stage today, that would be an opportune time for Senators to offer an angle or make points.

I wish to be associated with Senator Leyden's good wishes to Senator Shane Ross in his endeavour. I congratulate Senator Ross on bringing so many and various matters to our attention last night in his publication.

Senators Fitzgerald, Alex White and Keaveney called on the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Barry Andrews, to come to the House for a debate on the abuse of children, funding for children's issues and the challenges facing the Minister of State in his departmental portfolio. The Minister of State has agreed to come to the House for this debate but as Members will know, the NAMA legislation is being debated over three days next week so the earliest possible time will be during the following week.

Senators O'Toole, Donohoe, O'Sullivan, MacSharry, Leyden, Coghlan, Ormonde, Quinn and Healy Eames expressed views on the challenges of the forthcoming budget and the successful role social partnership has played in our country since 1987. As Senator Feargal Quinn noted, honesty, integrity and patriotism are needed. I agree with those sentiments and see some light in that all parties agree that raising €4 billion in the budget is necessary. It is just a matter of how that will be done. The leadership of the trade unions have a responsibility, as do the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance and everyone concerned, to ensure this takes place. We have achieved a very great deal in recent years and we are known as a generation that meets challenges head on. This is probably the most serious challenge we have faced in recent times. We have seen it all before in the 1970s and 1980s and we are a resilient people. I know we will come through this and can see light at the end of the tunnel. This budget must start the fight back and the way forward for our economy for the future.

I welcome the statements made in the Chamber, led by Senator O'Toole. I look forward to our having not only one but at least two pre-budget debates. This day five weeks is the day of the Budget Statement and I shall discuss with the leaders of the various parties and groups how we can have the debates take place in the House when the NAMA legislation is out of the way.

Senator Alex White spoke about young men and youth unemployment. This is very timely, especially with regard to statistics on the challenges facing young men under 24 years of age. I agree to a debate on this matter and will endeavour to have it take place as a matter of urgency within the next three weeks.

Senators de Búrca and McFadden and very many other Senators expressed their views regarding the decision of the courts on golf clubs and courses. Senators will not want to confuse golf courses with golf clubs. They are two different things and those of us who know a lot about this know this to be true.