Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senators O'Brien and Mullins are looking for a debate on sport with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, so we will try to arrange that for early in the new year.

The pyrite Bill is due to come before this House on Monday. The Minister expressed the wish to deal with all Stages on Monday, but I will take on board the considerations of Senators O'Brien, Bacik and others that we should break that up if at all possible. I know it was the Minister's intention to bring it before the other House next week. We will facilitate him as much as we can, and given that it is such a small Bill, I think it can be dealt with together, but perhaps we should not deal with all Stages together. I will certainly take that into consideration when planning next week's business.

Senator O'Brien also called for a debate on health. I outlined last week that the Minister had until 16 December to accept or reject proposals that came from the HSE on the service plan. It is unlikely that we can have a debate on it, but hopefully we can bring the Minister before the House early in the new year. Senator MacSharry also called for a similar debate. I still must remind people that under Article 28.4.1 of the Constitution, the Executive is accountable to Dáil Éireann. I cannot compel Ministers to come in here. I can ask them to come in, and we have succeeded in having them in here on a regular basis, but it is not my in my remit to compel them.

Senator Bacik spoke about direct provision. We mentioned that yesterday in respect of the report from the Irish Refugee Council. I am sure that we will have a debate on that in the new year. She also asked when the immigration, residence and protection Bill will come into the House, and I will get back to her on that. Senator Bacik, along with Senators Coghlan and Wilson, also called for a debate on the Smithwick report. I have already agreed that we would have that debate early in the new year with the Minister for Justice and Equality. Senator Bacik also called for progress to be made on the recommendations in the various reports on child abuse. We have addressed this matter on several occasions, but this new tranche of reports certainly need to be debated as well.

Senator Mullins commented on the public accounts committee's examination of the CRC. That is a matter for the committee and I think it will deal well with that. Senator Keane raised the issue of food waste, which is something Senator Quinn has raised on several occasions, as recently as yesterday when he spoke about food provenance. I note her points on the issue. Senator Cullinane spoke about the dispute at Marks and Spencer. I hope that both sides can come together and reach agreement soon on the issue. The Senator called for a pensions debate. The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013 was discussed here last week and the week before, so I am not sure if we will have an another one in early course, but we certainly come back to it at some stage. Senator Mullins also spoke about the streamlining of the Garda vetting process. Considerable progress has been made to date in that, but I agree with the Senator that more needs to be done. We can ask the Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on that process.

Senator Burke spoke about toys, the importance of safety and risk of purchasing online from countries outside the EU. It is important to highlight that coming up to Christmas, when people may be inclined to buy on the Internet. They should remember the importance of health and safety when purchasing toys in particular. Senator Quinn spoke about the policy document on human rights for older people in Ireland. As he rightly pointed, our first public consultation committee contained a very comprehensive report on that issue. This House initiated that and we can certainly have a further debate on it in the new year.

Senator Comiskey spoke about growth in the agrisector and encouraged students to take up the many courses that are in place in our institutes of technology and universities. Senator Daly spoke about the fourth tranche of reviews on the safeguarding of practice in the Catholic dioceses and religious congregations, and he made references to the Christian Brothers. We will arrange a debate on that whole area in the new year. Senator Ó Clochartaigh spoke about the resignation of an Comisinéir Teanga. This is the third time the issue has been raised by the Senator. We dealt comprehensively with it on the Order of Business last week. He raised it yesterday and he has raised it again today. It is a very important issue and it is important that a new commissioner be appointed in early course to replace the person who has resigned. Last week we thanked him for his efforts.