David Norris (Independent)

Will the Leader request the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, and his colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Gilmore, to examine the situation whereby 34 young people applied to take a course with Pilot Training College in Waterford and paid up to €80,000, €90,000 for €100,000? As a mandatory part of the exercise they had to take a course at the Florida Institute of Technology. A dispute has broken out between these two bodies, as a result of which these young people have been left stranded. They are in danger of losing their entire investment and not getting the qualification. This is situation that concerns both job and visa because while these people are waiting, their visa may run out. Can any way be found by the two Departments to assist them?

Will the Leader ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan, if at the very last moment, he can find a philanthropic sponsor to buy at least some of the contents of Mount Congreve? This house was very generously left to the State and has magnificent world-class gardens designed by the late Ambrose Congreve. For some reason, however, Mr. Congreve did not leave any of the furniture to the State. The house would be bereft without its furniture. I know times are difficult and I do not ask the Government to act on this but perhaps the Minister might take a look around, in order that the furniture which belongs in the house not be lost.

I partly agree with my distinguished colleague, Senator Barrett, in that it is astonishing that civil servants and bureaucrats should increase their travelling allowances at such an exponential rate. However, I deplore the attacks on Deputy Joe Higgins by a particular section of the media, in both broadcast and newspapers, all controlled by the same interest. It seems extraordinary that pressure should be put on politicians to become more local, more parochial, more tied to their constituents and servile to these interests, and that they should not be allowed to travel outside their own little parish, as Deputy Higgins did, on a bus or a train, staying in bed and breakfast accommodation. This is not luxury. The same people would confine Daniel O'Connell to Kerry if he was still alive and campaigning for Catholic emancipation. Here it is becoming increasingly like working in some kind of downgraded factory, with constant supervision by a hostile and permanently installed time and motion study team that does not know one end of its anatomy from another.