Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that we will have a debate next week with the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs given today?s critical meeting in Europe on EU bank debt at which both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste will be present. Moves are being made by other countries to seek to make an EU bank debt deal prospective, which would be bad for this country. We must all wish the Government well in seeking to ensure that the commitments made to this country previously are honoured and that a bank debt deal will emerge that will apply retrospectively to countries carrying a legacy of banking debt, thanks to previous governments, such as in this country. It is very important for the recovery of the economy that the deal would apply retrospectively also, as we have been promised.

I also welcome the partial loan guarantee scheme to the SME sector which Senator O?Brien mentioned. There was a sad report this week about O?Brien?s Chop House in Lismore, a small restaurant which I had the pleasure of visiting many times, which has been forced to close because of a lack of customers during the bad summer. It is a symbol of the difficulties many small businesses face, in particular outside of big urban centres, especially in the Slow Food movement, an award winning sector in which we have seen an increase in the number of restaurants and small food businesses offering high quality food. It is a shame that it has had to close. Any supports to SMEs are very important in this climate so I heartily welcome the partial loan guarantee scheme.

I call for a debate on sentencing and the need for sentencing guidelines in light of reports this morning about a disturbing sentence handed down in a rape case. It is another example of the need for sentencing guidelines which have been sought for a long time. The Minister, Deputy Shatter, is conducting an overall review of the criminal justice system and the penal system. I am sure he will examine the matter in that context but, first, what we need is data on sentencing. We do not yet have proper, consistent data on sentencing, which is very important.

Colleagues this week criticised the Marie Stopes clinic in Belfast-----