Seanad debates

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

3:00 am

Photo of Donie CassidyDonie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

Senators Fitzgerald, O'Toole, Alex White, Boyle, Norris, Regan, Buttimer and Bacik expressed their serious concerns about the announcement by Pfizer of a reduction in the number employed in their facilities over the next 18 months to five years. We must first compliment Pfizer on its consolidation with Wyeth which will make it a stronger, better and more competitive organisation. The contribution made by Pfizer has been enormous in Kildare, Dún Laoghaire and Cork, and we must not lose sight of the fact that, in five years' time, it will still employ 4,250 people.

I remind colleagues, some of whom were at committee meetings at the time, that after the Order of Business last Thursday I mentioned the announcement of 2,000 new jobs by the Minister, as conveyed to me by Senator Butler, our spokesperson in this area. The fact that job creation is still taking place is to be welcomed. I remind the House, in the interest of accuracy, that more than 400,000 jobs have been created since 1997. Back in 1987, 900,000 people were at work; now, 1.7 million people are at work. I would not like it to be thought that an inaccuracy had been stated in the Upper House without correction.

All matters pertaining to banking can be mentioned when the Minister is present for the Euro Area Loan Facility Bill, which will be discussed in the House all day on Thursday. It is urgent that this Bill be passed on Thursday, along with the earlier signature motion, and I thank the party leaders for their assistance in this regard.

Sixteen Bills have been ordered for this term, three of which have been published: the education (patronage) Bill, the Competition (Amendment) Bill, the environmental Liability Bill, the local government (office of the Dublin mayor and regional authority) Bill, which will establish the position of lord mayor and a regional authority for Dublin, the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill, the biological weapons Bill, the health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill, the Nurses and Midwives Bill, the prescription charges Bill, which is associated with the budget, as we know, the civil law (miscellaneous provisions) Bill, the criminal justice (defence of life and property) Bill, the criminal justice (legal aid) Bill, the mental capacity Bill and the social welfare (miscellaneous provisions) Bill. Thus, a considerable amount of legislation will come to both Houses for our consideration.

I fully support the calls that are made on the Order of Business from time to time to address urgent matters in the area of broadcasting. Over recent weeks, many colleagues have called for a debate such as we are having on the Broadcasting Authority, especially with regard to the issue of balance. The national broadcaster in particular has a serious question to answer in this regard. I will be saying more on this in my contribution later. There is an obligation on the national broadcaster to provide balance, but one would question this at times when listening to radio and watching television.

I compliment RTE on all its achievements and I have been fully supportive of it over the years. As a former Fianna Fáil spokesperson on communications in the House, and having had my own radio programme for more than four years, I am very proud of its achievements. At the moment, however, when the country needs a responsible attitude and people need to be helped and encouraged, the lack of balance in some programmes baffles me.

Senators O'Toole and Alex White asked about legislation to come to the House. I have outlined the list. In addition, Senators O'Toole, Brady, Callely, Bradford, Buttimer, Harris and Mullen expressed concerns about old age pensioners. In 1997 the old age pension was €97 per week; today it is €230. Well done to the Government that did this over the past 13 years. Having put that on the record of the House, I must mention concerns I have heard in my local area, as have all Senators. The majority of those on old age pensions have paid their PRSI and are entitled to receive their pensions. The small amounts of savings they had invested through the years on the instructions of those in the financial institutions, for whom they had respect, have dwindled. In some cases people have lost 90% of their savings. They have nothing. I am talking about money to pay for tea, butter, bread and sugar. Those of us in de Valera's party will not stand behind anything that will change what we are so proud of, especially our achievements in the past 13 years since 1997 of increasing the old age pension to €230. I have said enough in that regard. I compliment the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, Dev's grandson, for all he has done for Ireland and for rural Ireland in particular. He is the only person born in Dublin 4 who represents a rural constituency. He sits at the Cabinet table and has worked very hard on behalf of his constituents and the people.

Senators Cummins, Regan, Bradford, Keaveney, Leyden and Bacik fully supported peaceful protests coming to the House, as we have all witnessed during our time here, all of which were very well organised. What we cannot condone are the vicious attacks that took place and the extreme elements that participated in them. I saw everything that took place here last week. I would say I am only one of two Oireachtas Members who saw everything that took place last week. Thirty to 40 people broke away from the end of the line of decent people who came here to protest. They came around Setanta Building, marched up Dawson Street with their flags and presented themselves to the Garda Síochána in a rugby tackle fashion in that some of them put their heads down and the boys and girls behind them shoved the gardaí who, with the ushers, were protecting the Houses of the Parliament.

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