Ivana Bacik (Independent)

The Ministers of State, Deputies Kathleen Lynch and Róisín Shortall, have attended the House on numerous occasions. I apologise to Senator O'Brien for the delay on the Palestine motion. We will get back to him on that today. It took a little time toing and froing.

I commend the Leader and the Committee on Procedure and Privileges on Nos. 1 and 2 on the Order Paper. Both are noteworthy developments and changes to the business of the Seanad which will make our business much more relevant and effective in the coming term. As colleagues will see, the first change we have made is that with the leave of the House, representatives and persons in public and civic life may attend and be heard in the Seanad. The impetus for that came largely from the Independent nominees groups and we should acknowledge that. However, all of us on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges were very anxious to see it facilitated and that we would be able to hear from individuals outside the Seanad who would be able to come in and inform our debate. That will strengthen the quality of our debate.

The other change concerns the Seanad Public Petitions Committee which already exists under our Standing Orders but which we are now activating through the new terms we have adopted on the SPPC. I am very optimistic that will really change the way we do business for the better.

Will the Leader arrange a debate on the continuing fallout from the News of the World scandal and crisis? It has become a full blown crisis not only in Britain but internationally as it has affected News International and media business worldwide. It was very sad to hear of a death in England which seems to have followed from it. There is also continuing fallout in terms of resignations of senior police officers as well as News International officers.

It should generate debate in this House on two particular issues. One is an issue on which a number of us in the Labour Party have called for debate, namely, the ownership of the media and the fact it should not be concentrated in the hands of one individual to such an extent that he or she feels he or she can abuse power in the way Rupert Murdoch did.

Today's hearings in the House of Commons should generate some debate in this House on the powers of Oireachtas committees. The programme for Government states that we should strengthen Oireachtas committees. The House of Commons committee is very much in the news today and it will call before it not only the senior members of News International but also senior police officers. We need to look at how we can strengthen the powers of our committees to ensure they have that level of scrutiny over individuals and officers.