Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I renew my call to the Leader for a debate on climate change. I asked him last week to schedule a debate on climate change in the Seanad and, in particular, on the principle of a climate protection Bill. As colleagues know, I have a Bill before the House and there is a Labour Party Bill before the Dáil. The Government promised a Bill and I understood it would be published before the Copenhagen climate change talks in December. I note the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, announced yesterday that the Bill to sign us in a binding way to making certain yearly reductions in our carbon emissions will not be published until early 2010. It is crucial such legislation is passed and it is something on which there is consensus, but the Government is delaying the Bill. This House should have a debate on climate change before December, even if the Bill or the heads of a Bill are not published. It is a significant issue. The debate is over and everybody is agreed on the facts of climate change, although I note in The Irish Times today John Gibbons suggested Pat Kenny is in some way a climate change denier - that is probably stretching the point. The time for political action is now and we need to take action. We should have a debate in this House to try to move the issue on in a political way.

I also ask for a debate on funding for third level education. Colleagues have raised the issue of the delay in the payment of student maintenance grants and the extreme hardship it is causing for students. I back their concerns. The Union of Students of Ireland lobbied us last week and it was useful and helpful to hear the concerns of third level students. It is also concerned about the high and rising cost of the student registration charge, which is now €1,500 per year and which students are required to pay. It is a sort of third level fee, in effect. The facilities provided to students are disimproving. There has been a huge reduction in facilities at Dublin Institute of Technology, for example. Libraries have been closed and classes have been cancelled. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the matter.

I ask again for a debate on mental health in prisons. We heard yesterday from Professor Harry Kennedy on his concern about the high level of psychosis among young men on remand and on the early successes of the diversion programme he is running. I ask the Leader to organise a debate on the matter so that we can give our political support to the diversion programme.