Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I very much support the decision on the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013. It is the appropriate decision but I am disappointed because this is the second time we were scheduled to have a debate on youth justice, which is a critical issue. I have prepared twice for this debate and look forward to it. Will the Leader reschedule that debate at the earliest opportunity? There are many critical issues for us to raise. I support Senator O'Donovan's passionate and compelling call for a debate on fisheries policy.

The special rapporteur on child protection, Dr Geoffrey Shannon, spoke at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children yesterday. He gave us a master class on children's rights and all that needs to be done and the committee fully agreed with him. He called for a ban on alcohol sponsorship of sport, based on the compelling evidence that he has seen in the review of child deaths that alcohol is not seen as a risk indicator. We need to wake up to it as a contributory factor. I support his call. Will the Leader arrange a debate on alcohol-related harm, particularly on how Ireland could introduce minimum pricing in co-ordination with our colleagues in Northern Ireland?

Senator Daly mentioned yesterday the Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012 that Senators Crown, Daly and I have put forward.

We had an excellent debate in the Seanad and I know we have cross-party support on it. Parallel to this Bill, the Minister announced yesterday he is bringing in legislation on plain packaging on cigarettes, which I support. He has asked the health and children committee to prioritise it and accelerate it through. While I am happy to do that, I am reluctant because we have a Bill sitting on the agenda here that will directly contribute positively to children's health and, for no reason that I can understand, it is being delayed. Senators Daly, Crown and myself have put a tremendous amount of work into addressing any of the issues raised by the Department so I ask the Leader to urgently ask the Minister when that Bill is coming before the House. It is an initiative that could be taken quite quickly to protect children's health.