Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for a debate on the situation in Greece. I called for such a debate on the Order of Business every day last week. On Thursday we called a division on an amendment to the Order of Business. A number of months ago the Leader facilitated the Seanad in being the first House of the Oireachtas to debate the situation in Greece in the light of what could happen there and the effect it could have on us. It is imperative that we have such a debate before the proposed legislation is introduced in the House. I concur with Senator O'Toole on the Croke Park deal - public service agreement 2010 to 2014, the second sentence of which stresses that our objectives as a country would be met "by working together". What is happening in Athens is the extreme alternative to that approach. It is imperative that we do not allow the vote on the Croke Park agreement to turn out like the one in the first Lisbon treaty referendum when some made their decision on the basis of information they did not have or because of a desire to give the Government a good kicking. I hope they are not the reasons people will vote against this arrangement. It is in the national interest that it be passed. If so, it will be a further sign that this country is different from Greece. I, therefore, reiterate my call to the Leader to organise a debate on the matter as soon as possible.