David Norris (Independent)

I am glad to follow directly after my colleague and friend, Senator Bacik. This is precisely the issue that I wished to raise. I wish to ask the Leader two questions. Before the close of business, can he indicate when the Fines and Civil Partnership Bills will be introduced? Both matters were first raised by me in the House. Five years ago, I tabled the Civil Partnership Bill 2004. I understand the 2009 Bill will be introduced this month, but can we have a specific date this time? The Leader always says he will let us know by the end of the day, but we never get the information. I would like it today.

Regarding the Fines Bill, Senator Bacik is right. Since 2006, the number has quadrupled. To keep someone in jail for a month costs €2,000. This year, 4,000 people will be jailed. A year ago I attempted to amend the Broadcasting Bill to consider one aspect of it, namely, the fact that people were put in jail for non-payment of fines and television licences. I instanced a case in Cork where a woman was taken away from her four children for non-payment of her television licence. In the current economic climate there is very little that people can do. That is immoral, wasteful and unjustifiable. For two years the Government has been served notice by this House, in the same way that it was served notice five years ago about civil partnership, and we are still waiting for that. Will the Leader explain why, in the light of the leading part this House played in those two issues, the legislation is being introduced in the other House? We have had statements for the past couple of weeks, making a nonsense out of things. Why did we not get those two pieces of legislation into this House?