Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Mullen's last point that the Minister owes this House an explanation on what is going in regard to the Irish Family Planning Association clinics, which are funded by the State, the health and pregnancy of pregnant mothers and the advice they are getting.

Congratulations are due to the public who voted children's rights into the Constitution. We have done something good for society and we can stand proud on that. We must await the Supreme Court decision, as others have said, but the Government faced a terrible dilemma in the past few days. The question arises as to why we need a Government booklet. Are we now saying the Referendum Commission's booklet would have been adequate? Perhaps that is the case but we must recognise the Government has a duty to inform and clarify. From the start, it was clear to everybody that the Government was recommending a "Yes" vote. That is something which needs to be teased out. I do not want to see ¤1 million thrown away if the Referendum Commission booklet will do. Let us have that debate in mid-December, as Senator van Turnhout said. It would be very welcome if the Leader put it on the agenda.

The public is seething about pensions to bankers in banks bailed out by the taxpayer. Given the fear about home help cuts, mortgage and household debt issues, the Government must find a way around this. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, to look at this because together we must act for the people? We should put a surtax on everyone in receipt of a pension above ¤100,000 or we must have preconditions to bailout money. Anyone who is getting a hand-out of that nature, which is taxpayers' money, should not be getting it free gratis and there should be conditions to prevent it being used for pensions for bankers who let us down.