Seanad debates

Thursday, 17 May 2012

11:00 am

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Independent)

Indeed, and once the Government has made a decision on the constituency revision report also.

Senator Keane sought a debate on local government reform as well as a debate on the bullying of teachers via Facebook. There are reports today that school students have been expelled for this activity. There is a need for a more general debate on social media. I have already raised the issue of who controls social media and whether the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland should have a role, which it currently does not. I would be happy to facilitate such a debate.

Senator Norris also referred to the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, and we share his views on that. He also mentioned an article by Michael Barron of the youth group "BeLong To". I commend Mr. Barron who spoke in Paris yesterday at a UNESCO launch of an international guide against homophobic bullying. I share Senator Norris's condemnation of the editorial in Alive! magazine. I have been the subject of attacks from Alive! magazine before now. I entirely agree with the Senator that the sort of language used in that newspaper is often disgusting and repulsive. I am not surprised to hear Senator Norris refer to this particular article. I share his view that this newspaper should be removed from churches. I do not see why it should be available in churches.

Senator Gilroy referred to suicide prevention and I commend him for his work on this matter as a rapporteur. He has made information available to us all on suicide prevention, as well as holding a series of public meetings on the topic. We might well have an all-party motion on suicide prevention, and if the Senator wishes to draw up the wording, we could agree on it. We have already had such a debate relatively recently but we can certainly have another one. In the last week, other colleagues have sought a somewhat broader debate on the funding of mental health services, which could encompass the issues of suicide prevention and awareness. I will be asking the Leader to facilitate that debate in early course.

Senator Daly asked for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to attend the House in connection with the US-Ireland Alliance. That is a matter for the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Senator can also write to the Minister about that. A number of colleagues have sought a debate on the Middle East with the Minister in attendance but that would clearly be a broader debate.

Senator Mullins supported the call for a debate on suicide prevention. In addition, he welcomed, as we all do, the announcement of 150 jobs in the medical devices sector in Galway. As the Senator said, it definitely shows the need to keep Ireland on a steady path to recovery and attract these levels of foreign direct investment. In recent months, we have witnessed announcements involving the creation of thousands of jobs, which are very welcome. These are key to remaining on the path to recovery. The Senator also raised the announcement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of €8 million to tackle child malnutrition. Anyone who heard the very disturbing report this morning from Niger of the levels of child malnutrition and starvation there would agree with the Senator's welcome for that announcement.

Senator Barrett called for a debate on admission to universities and rightly paid tribute to a former provost of Trinity College, Professor Watts, on his role in developing an independent system for admission. I share the Senator's views on that. It is a good idea to have a debate on it. We had sought a broader debate on universities and the third level sector more generally, which is something we need to follow up on.

Senator Kelly raised the issue of medical cards and, in particular, the entitlements of mature students. He said that the Joint Committee on Health and Children is seeking to bring in representatives from the PCRS to answer questions on that. It might also be something we could cover as part of a more general debate on health in a question and answer format with the Minister in attendance in this House.

Senator Walsh raised the issue of homophobic bullying and spoke of having been, as he described it, bullied himself. Having just heard the submission from BeLonG To at the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on the extraordinarily high levels of homophobic bullying experienced by young people, students and children in Ireland, one has to keep a sense of perspective and proportion on this. Some 50% of young people who participated in a BeLonG To survey have experienced verbal homophobic bullying in school, 25% were physically threatened by their peers, appallingly, 34% heard homophobic comments from their teachers and 20% of LGBT people under the age of 25 have attempted suicide. We need to maintain a sense of perspective and to recognise the serious and pressing problem of homophobic bullying in this country and elsewhere.

Senator Walsh also raised the issue of gay marriage. That is being dealt with in the constitutional convention promised in the programme for Government. Senator Walsh also raised the issue of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, which other Senators also raised. There was a motion on that issue in the House on 2 February.

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