Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I draw the attention of the House to motion No. 21 on the Order Paper. Members on all sides of the House had issues with the European Union negotiating a free trade agreement with Colombia at a time when there were major human rights problems in that country. There is a motion on the Order Paper which concurs with the views of the 12 MEPs from the Republic of Ireland and which I ask the Leader to consider taking tomorrow morning. It is not an all-party motion, but I know the Green Party still supports it. Perhaps it might be taken without debate tomorrow morning with all-party support.

I have lived for the last 39 years in the part of the country where the Ward Union Hunt takes place. While I do not have much time for the people involved, I would like to make a particular point. The safest stags in Ireland are those chased by the elderly gentlemen of the Ward Union Hunt. There is not the remotest danger of a stag being caught because not one has been hunted down in the past 38 or 39 years. The Ward Union Hunt is a harmless group which adds much merriment and diversity to life. As all arguments for and against hunting are imperfect, I do not take either side. I suggest, however, that rather than pulling ourselves apart, any legislation introduced on hunting should provide for the devolution of power on the issue to the local authorities. Each local authority should decide its position on hunting because there is no way someone from south Dublin, the centre of County Meath and west Kerry will agree on the issue. They will have different views because they engage in different types of hunting. Whether hunting should take place is, therefore, a question for the local authorities. The Green Party's position has always been to consult and devolve power to the lowest possible level. I ask that such an approach be adopted in this case.

Someone should examine some of the daft decisions the Government is taking. I do not refer to major cutbacks which we will discuss later but to cuts in funding to drug support units. Given that these units deal with the drugs problem, an issue raised by Senators on both sides every second day, it is nonsensical to cut their funding.

The most ridiculous decision is to cut supply panels for schools. The panels are groups of teachers co-ordinated by the Department to make a substitute or temporary teacher available when one is required by a school at short notice for a short period. I am not aware that the State incurs any costs by providing this essential and excellent service because it is a matter of administration. Given that cutting the panels which are few in number will not yield significant savings, I do not understand the reason for the decision. I raise this issue because it would be helpful if the Minster for Education and Science were to come before the House, not to argue about money but to outline the rationale for taking this daft, irrational decision which has no basis in terms of its potential to deliver savings. He should provide the memorandum setting out the case for his decision which will remove support for schools, especially in rural areas, thereby creating a further problem for them.