Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I join Senator Darragh O'Brien and all other colleagues in paying respect to the late Deputy Brian Lenihan.

We will have an opportunity tomorrow to pay adequate tribute to the former Minister.

Senator Bacik raised the question of the Smithwick tribunal and its recommendations. When they are published we will have a debate on them.

Senator Norris referred to the appalling situation in Iraq, the human rights abuses and so on. It is an issue which we could possibly debate under a heading of human rights and deal with a number of problems that there are throughout the world. We could broaden the debate and have it soon. I assure Senator Healy Eames that the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill will come before the House the week after next. It will come before the Dáil next week.

Senator Leyden referred to cutbacks in Garda numbers and the fact that Templemore would have no recruits for the next couple of years. It is the policy advocated by the previous Government in the cutbacks initiated in the last budget which the current Government is proceeding to implement.

Senator Whelan spoke on the roll out of energy supplies and the problems with pylons. We have had a request for a debate to deal with wind energy, energy supplies and strategic infrastructure. I am trying to get Senator Varadkar, to the House to deal with those matters and we hope he will come here fairly soon.

I join Senator Cullinane in expressing sympathies to the family of former Senator Liam Kelly, a gentleman who I did not know. We would all like to be associated with those remarks in expressing condolences to his wife and family. He also raised the question of the review of JLCs. There is no Government decision, as far as I know, on that but we will have a debate. We had a debate in the House on competitiveness and the question of JLCs was raised by several people.