Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

Senators O'Brien and Bacik referred to the decision by AIB to sell a share in a company which was bought for €216 million for €100,000. This is a disgrace which shows how badly AIB and other banks were managed and how they completely lost the run of themselves in that past ten years. I will raise the matter with the Minister for Finance who intends to attend the House. The Minister has the highest respect for the Seanad and we will try to arrange a meeting with him before the end of the session.

Several Senators raised problems with transport for cancer and dialysis patients in the west. Such problems are not confined to the west. In the south east people who have had their transport withdrawn are having requests for funding for transport refused by community welfare officers. This matter will have to be addressed by the Minister for Health who will attend the House on 7 July. I will bring the issue to his attention beforehand.

I will also ascertain the position regarding application forms for third level grants. The forms should be available and we will try to find out the reason for the delay.

Senators Gilroy, Healy Eames and Conway raised the issue of Seanad reform, on which the House has had lengthy debates. We need to move on and progress the proposals that have been made. I hope we will be able to do so in the coming weeks.

Senator Mac Conghail referred to the report on better literacy and numeracy among young children. I will try to find out its current status. The House will debate the issue when the report is published. This is an important issue in which the Minister for Education and Skills is very interested.

Senator Mullen referred to the need for a whistleblower's charter and the possibility of introducing a Bill on the issue next week. I welcome that and note the Senator's comments on holding a preferendum and the national forum on patronage and pluralism in schools.

Senators Sheahan and Coghlan referred to the fact that 15 of the 18 lighthouses in the UK are closing and they expressed concern about the lighthouses at Malin Head and Valentia Island. I will try to throw some light on that in the coming days.

Senator O'Donovan raised the issue of aquaculture. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will attend the House for a few hours on 20 July and he will address both agriculture and aquaculture. I agree the potential in this aquaculture sector is great but we are not reaching that potential in the creation of jobs, in particular, but I am sure this matter is close to the Minister's heart and he is willing to address this problem. When we look to create jobs, the potential in this area should be maximised.

Senator Moran asked that the Minister for Education and Skills meet book publishers. This is long overdue because there is a great deal of waste. The Senator referred to her children who have completed the leaving certificate and who cannot pass on the majority of the books because of changes to the texts. This wastage will have to be addressed. I am sure everybody welcomes the initiative of the school that is introducing iPads. We need to utilise the new technologies that are available and if this alleviates the need for the children to have to carry heavy schoolbags, it should be addressed and examined.

Senators Norris and Bacik referred to the death of Kader Asmal. I join in the expressions of sympathy for him. He was a great advocate for human rights and he played his part as a Minister in his own government.

I would also to express my sympathy to the Staunton family on the sudden death yesterday of Myles Staunton, who was a former Member of both Houses.

Senator Healy Eames asked about HSE west and I alluded to this earlier. It is the Minister for Health's job to sort out the executive and I am confident he will do that.

The issue of group sewerage schemes was raised by Senator Leyden. It was also raised by Senator O'Neill earlier this week when he expressed his concerns in that regard. The Senator could raise this on the Adjournment.

Senator Harte referred to problems with accident and emergency services in Letterkenny hospital and the receiver. I will try to find out the up to date position and to move it on.

Senators Walsh and others raised the issue of capping salaries and legal and other professional fees in the public sector. The Ministers for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and without Portfolio intend to take action on this. The Minister without Portfolio has acted in this regard and the Government will not shy away from the tough decisions needed to get our public finances in order. We will try to ensure these actions are taken in a fair and equitable manner. The Minister without Portfolio has done a good job but a great deal more remains to be done.

Senator Conway mentioned AIB and she also asked about open days for the Dáil and Seanad. We have had successful open days, which were initiated by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. I am sure similar days will be facilitated, possibly during the summer.

Senator Quinn raised the issue of food labelling and the safety of raw milk. The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy McEntee, will attend the House the week after next to deal with the question of food safety and food labelling. The Senator also commented on the marketplace for hotels. There is nobody better qualified in the House than him to advise on that matter.

Senator Mullins also referred to the HSE and the difficulties in Northern Ireland. What we have witnessed in Northern Ireland over the past few evenings is a matter of concern but there is good co-operation between the police forces in the North and the Republic. Relations between them have never been better and it is important that they remain as they are and that we combat the problems that arise from time to time. These problems will be combated because there are many good people in communities throughout Northern Ireland and they will not allow us to go back to the dark days of old.

With regard to Senator Ó Domhnaill's comments, Fianna Fáil presided over the pay increases that were granted in the public service and it allowed bank and ESB executives to put themselves in the outrageous position they are in. The Government is trying to do something about this.

Senator Coghlan called for a debate on banking. The Minister for Finance has expressed a wish to come to the House as soon as his diary permits. As soon as the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011, which will be introduced in the House next week, is passed, I am sure the Minister without Portfolio will come to the House to discuss public service reform and the Croke Park agreement.

Senator Burke raised the issue of contracts for junior doctors. As I stated yesterday, the Minister for Health will attend the House on 7 July to address this problem.

Senator White referred to yesterday's awards ceremony, which took place while we had a debate on European affairs. I remind the Senator that a Fianna Fáil-led Government negotiated the EU-IMF deal.

With regard to the issue raised by Senator Keane, the Order of Business is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Group leaders have three minutes to make a contribution while other Members have two minutes. The Cathaoirleach gives latitude from time to time. The Order of Business is used quite well in the majority of cases but there is a great deal of repetition and if it can be improved, we will do so. I welcome suggestions in that regard.

I note Senator Hayden's comments about the JLCs. The Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Perry, was in the House yesterday to address the jobs initiative and competitiveness. The Minister without Portfolio has also taken out the axe and capped salaries in excess of €200,000 in the public sector. It is a start and this process will continue. The Government is only in office for 100 day or so and we will continue to act in a fair and equitable manner at all times.