Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will not oppose the Order of Business but I have a number of points to make. Will the Leader on behalf of the House raise immediately with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Gilmore, our concern about the investigation into the death of Mr. Finucane in Northern Ireland? This morning there are additional revelations and claims by a journalist, Mr. Ed Moloney, that he informed the Irish Government of these threats at the time and it in turn allegedly informed the British Government. That raises very serious questions and as a nation we should use all our power and connections, through consular movements in the world, to impress upon the British Government the need for a public inquiry in this regard. That is essential.

I appreciate that the Houses will be very busy in the run-up to the Christmas period but given developments during the night and throughout today in Brussels on the issue of a banking union, the matter should be debated in this House. In particular, we should know what implications this will have for our so-called special status. One wonders when and if there will be a deal on the promissory note or our banking debt as a whole. A Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, at the weekend claimed on television that the promissory note will not be paid. That would be welcome but it is important for us to debate the issues as the Irish people require some certainty about the future in that regard.

It is also important to note, in a week when we are to debate personal insolvency legislation in the House, there is still no measure in place to look after the people in mortgage arrears or give them some options or confidence in a process that an independent authority can oversee. Instead, the banks have absolute control, which is a major concern of ours about that legislation.

I know that next week we will debate the Social Welfare Bill, and I am thankful the Leader will make a substantial amount of time available for that. We appreciate it as that has not happened in the other House. The Labour Party chairman last evening tweeted that the die is cast; it may not be cast fully in the Dáil and it certainly has not been cast in this House. I appeal to all Members, particularly our Labour Party colleagues, to reflect over the weekend and take the opportunity to take the stand which the party's manifesto promised in advance of the last election, specifically regarding child benefit. There is also a very cynical cut to the respite grant.

As we prepare for those votes next week, we can consider how on 1 January the PRSI bill for somebody on ¤25,000 will increase by nearly 40% while the PRSI bill for somebody on ¤200,000 will go up by a mere 4%. How is that fair? It is simply not fair, and I ask Members to reflect on it over the weekend so that in this House at least, in contrast to the comments of the Labour Party chairman, Deputy Keaveney, the die will not be cast. I hope that Labour Party colleagues in particular will seize the opportunity afforded to them on behalf of the people next week.