Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé ag iarraidh mo mhíshástacht a léiriú leis an gCeannaire maidir leis an sceideal atá againn do ghnó na seachtaine seo. I am not one to have a go unless there is a reason. However, this week’s Seanad schedule is very disappointing. It is quite light on meaningful debate on serious legislation. There also seems to be a significant lack of Ministers attending the House this week, which is not acceptable. This is a trend that has been going on for the past several weeks. This week we have three MEPs rolled out almost like a human shield to protect the Ministers. I have no doubt the debates with them will be fruitful and meaningful, as was the debate with Pat The Cope Gallagher last week. However, they should not take the place of robust and meaningful debate on the issues raised by Senators on the Order of Business over the past few weeks.

I am not laying the blame at the Leader’s feet. Perhaps it is at his behest. Is there an issue with the Ministers? Are they afraid of coming into the House because we give them too much of a hard time when they do? Is it that they have so much disdain for this House and they feel it is already half abolished that they do not bother to come in at all? What is going on that we are not getting Ministers in to debate issues of health, education, mortgage distress, poverty, equality, rural affairs, agriculture, direct provision and natural resources, all issues raised over the past several weeks? It is about time the Ministers showed us the respect we deserve.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business: that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, attend the House to discuss developments on Croke Park II, where the Government stands on it and why it is trying to bully the unions into taking a stance that they are obviously not going to take.