Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I predicted, the vast majority of Members of the House have spoken about the need for a banking inquiry and discussed the shocking revelations of the tapes from Anglo Irish Bank. People ask why it has taken five years to address the matter. The Government put a referendum to the people on inquiries, which was rejected. The Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill is currently in the other House and Report and Final Stages will be taken early next week. I assure Members that we will facilitate the passage of the Bill in this House in the current session, despite our workload, before the summer recess.

An important principle embodied in the legislation is the responsibility assigned exclusively to the Houses themselves for determining the requirement of an inquiry, initiating it and agreeing its terms of reference as well as the procedural and organisational aspects of the inquiry. Prior to the initiation of a banking inquiry a number of steps must be carried out by both Houses. They include the approval of the draft commencement order of the Bill, putting in place rules and standing orders to govern the establishment of an inquiry, and drafting necessary guidelines and standing orders to ensure the effective and efficient operation of such an inquiry. They are the procedures we must follow. We will have ample time to discuss the Bill in the House before the summer recess. I hope that will pave the way for a banking inquiry early in the autumn.

I have outlined the procedures involved prior to the setting up of a banking inquiry, which has been sought by the majority of speakers in the House this afternoon. I fully agree that this is a very serious matter that must be addressed. I thank Members for bearing in mind in their comments the need to be careful in what they say because these matters will be before the courts as well, I hope in early course.

I welcome Senator O’Brien’s acceptance of my suggestion. I presume the House will accept that we will now deal with Committee and Remaining Stages of the Health (Amendment) Bill this afternoon.

Special needs assistants was another matter raised by a number of speakers in the House today. I remind Senator O’Brien, as I did last week, that the provision for special needs assistants for the coming school year will remain at the same level as this year.

We must all be clear about this point to avoid any unnecessary distress for parents. The number of special needs assistants remains at 10,575. As there has not been a significant rise in the demand for special needs assistants' support this year, there has been no policy change required to stay within the capped number. The NCSE has indicated demand for resource teachers has risen over the past year. The overall number of children in the system has risen by 1.3% in the past year but the number of applications has risen by 12% for next year. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, has made it clear we must explore the reasons for this unprecedented rise in applications. Our response to this demand cannot simply be to continue increasing spending in an unsustainable manner, an approach adopted by the last Fianna Fáil Government.

Eamon Stack, a former chief inspector of schools, has been appointed chairman of the group with a mandate to report to the Minister for Education and Skills by the end of September with preliminary views on how the allocation system may be reformed. Pending receipt of that report, the Cabinet has agreed that the 500 posts which have been held in reserve for late applications will be used immediately to ensure the individual allocations will be preserved at 2012-2013 levels, while the transition to a new model of resource allocation is under way. This is further evidence that the Government remains fully committed to protecting children with special educational needs.

Senator Bacik spoke of the need for a banking inquiry and called for a debate on multi-denominational schools and we will try to get the Minister for Education and Skills to come in to discuss that.

Senator Mary Ann O'Brien called for a timescale for the national children's hospital. I will try to get that from the Minister for Health and forward it to the Senator.

Senator Colm Burke called for a debate on maternity services and alluded to a national perinatal report that was published recently. I will raise that matter with the Minister for Health and his Department and refer to that report.

Senator Kelly called for a further Bill to amend the Personal Insolvency Act. I do not know if that can be done, although I am sure it can. The Senator will have ample opportunity to raise that with the Minister for Finance, who will be in the House to discuss the Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill that we partly discussed last week.

Senators Cullinane and Ó Clochartaigh called for a banking inquiry. Sinn Féin is on message but it has selective amnesia because it supported the bank guarantee, which it tends to forget on these occasions.

Senator Noone raised the statistics on white collar crime, which is very prevalent and relevant at this stage.

Senator Quinn spoke about the Bill to allow for a referendum on the abolition of the Seanad. The Second Stage of that Bill will commence tomorrow and will be resumed on Thursday. If it is not completed, it will be resumed again to be completed on Tuesday of next week. We will then proceed to Committee Stage of the Bill. In respect of the reforming Bills on the Order Paper, the Government's wish is to proceed with the Bill to allow for a referendum on the abolition on the Seanad.

While Second Stage of the Senator's reform Bill was passed, it is the wish of the Government to proceed with the Bill to abolish the Seanad before dealing with the reform aspects of the other two Bills. That is the way the Government will proceed.

Senator Mary White congratulated Councillor Ian McGarvey, an 82 year old, on his election as chairman of Donegal County Council, while other speakers congratulated the mayors and chairpersons of other local authorities who were elected last evening.

Senator Terry Brennan called for a debate on tourism and suggested the number of tourists has increased this year. He is correct that the figure has increased significantly. I have asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, to come before the House to address this issue. While I have not yet received a date from the Minister, he has indicated he will come to the House.

I believe I have addressed all the matters raised and apologise if I omitted any issue. I do not propose to accept the amendment to the Order of Business.