Joe O'Toole (Independent)

On a related theme, namely, how we are spending our time, Members raised a number of points about numbers yesterday. There are only three Government Bills on the Order Paper. Six Seanad Bills are not being dealt with in the Dáil and there are 16 Private Members' Bills on the Seanad Order Paper. I make this point to see if the Leader will consider addressing it. If the Government cannot produce business, there are plenty of others who can. I ask the Leader to order the taking of some of the Private Members' Bills mentioned, if only to point out to the Government and the world at large that we can do our work.

Continuing on the theme of Senator Cummins's contribution, the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources dealt yesterday with the issue of 116000 telephone numbers, an issue I have raised many times in this House. It is to this number, which should be available throughout Europe, that one reports a missing child. Ireland has decided, thus far at least, not to put this number into operation. While that is bad enough, what I have to say next is something which could only happen in Ireland. We are transposing into legislation a European directive which requires Ireland, during the course of the next year, to promote an awareness of this number in the context of missing children, yet the number will not be in operation here. We have refused to put this number into operation but will be promoting an awareness of its existence in Ireland and all over Europe, which is extraordinary, appalling and outrageous. Europe should take a hand in this matter. We are all aware of the importance of these numbers. Approximately three quarters of all children who go missing are dead within the first day and, as such, time is very important. I ask that the Minister for Justice and Law Reform or Minister of State with responsibility for children come into this House and explain why Ireland has not done its work in this regard, why we are not operating this number and what is wrong with our arrangements that we cannot do this.

We need a discussion on the issue of consensus among the parties, although not the type of discussion we had here yesterday. Consensus does not mean everyone blindly agreeing to everything. The Opposition's job is to oppose, question and scrutinise.