Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sure others will want to join me in commiserating with everyone who has been affected by the appalling weather during the past 24 hours. The pictures from Cork and other places that were affected are extremely dramatic. ESB crews have been out in all weathers trying to restore power and many householders and business owners have been trying to protect their properties from the floodwaters. I welcome the Government's announcement regarding the provision of €15 million for emergency flood relief. It is clear that more long-term flood prevention measures must be considered, particularly in Cork city. Some places were not as badly hit during this round of flooding but with further storms forecast, concern is high among those who live in the areas that have already been affected.

Will the Leader arrange a debate on an issue that is being considered by the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality - it was mentioned in the House by a number of colleagues last week - namely, community courts. The joint committee is currently conducting an investigation into the possibility of adopting a community court system in Ireland that would be modelled on the system which obtains in New York city. It heard from a range of experts last week, including some individuals from the US who described their experience of the operation of community courts. As the Leader noted previously, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, was present for the full two hours of the joint committee's debate. I would really like the Seanad to debate the report of the joint committee as soon as it is published. In that context, I welcome the Government's proposal to scrap the court poor box scheme, which has come in for huge criticism as a result of the inconsistency of its operation. That is another matter in respect of which the Seanad might engage in a debate.

Many colleagues have commented on the amount of time for which the Seanad is sitting this week. The Leader provided a robust response and referred to the difficulty involved in having business sent here from the Dáil. As soon as it becomes available, we should debate the Constitutional Convention's report on Dáil reform. The convention spent the weekend considering that matter and the very issue to which I refer, namely, the difficulties involved in getting business onto the floor of the Dáil and the subsequent logjam which results in problems with such business being referred on to the Seanad. The convention has made three key recommendations in respect of the following: granting the Opposition more power to introduce legislation, which would immediately result in increased throughput; ensuring greater independence of committees - this really relates to accountability but it is important that the committees should be mentioned in the Constitution, which is not currently the case; and introducing measures to increase the independence of the Ceann Comhairle - again this would involve changing the way in which the Ceann Comhairle is referred to in the Constitution - and ensure that he or she will be elected by secret ballot of the Members of the Dáil and that he or she will have greater powers in the context of the setting of business in the Lower House. The introduction of such measures might lead to more legislative business-----