Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Norris for raising it. I will pursue it vigorously. The process is the issue here. Senator Hayden made the important point that no woman Member of either House was on the visit to Japan, and that clearly is a matter of concern. We want to portray an image of a modern Parliament and it is wrong that we should have all male delegations.

Senator Hayden also looked for a debate on banking and mortgage arrears, and the worrying increase in mortgage repossessions in Dublin. That is a matter of real concern. We have asked that the Minister for Finance come in next week. I advised the House of that yesterday and I have not got confirmation yet, but we hope to have him here next week.

Senator Byrne also referred to GSOC, and I have dealt with that matter.

Senator Whelan is seeking a debate on wind energy and on the wind industry, and raised certain matters about the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI. I understand from Senator Keane that while there was a full discussion of this on the agenda of the environment committee, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland was not before it. Perhaps the committee should calls its representatives in, given what has been said by colleagues, but certainly I will seek a debate on wind energy and energy policy in this House. We will seek to pursue further a debate on the Bill proposed by Senator Kelly on behalf of the Labour Party in the Seanad, which passed Second Stage. I think a number of others raised issues about that Bill. I know the Leader's office is actively pursuing Private Members' Bills that have passed Second Stage in the Seanad and which we want to see continue through the Seanad and then into the Dáil, because we do not want to see these Bills hanging on forever. We are trying to pursue that.

Senator Barrett is also seeking a debate on energy policy. He also referred to comments by Mr. Barroso concerning the future of an independent Scotland. I agree entirely with Senator Barrett that matters on domestic referendums should be left to the people, so in Scotland they should be left to the people of Scotland. In our experience in Ireland, it has not been helpful for senior EU figures to intervene in any referendum campaign. I could not comment on that, other than to say that as a person of Czech descent, I regret the division of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but it was very important that they enter the EU as separate, independent countries.

Senator Kelly referred to his own Bill on wind energy and, as I said, we need to hasten the progress of that Bill and other Private Members' Bills before the House. I am also seeking a question on the conflict of interest. The environment committee might be more appropriate. Representatives of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland could be brought before the committee and questioned by Oireachtas Members. While we can have a useful debate with the Minister on energy policy, it would also be important that the very specific issues raised by Senators Whelan, Kelly and others would be addressed before an Oireachtas committee, with a to and fro between witnesses and committee members.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh spoke about the Magdalen laundries. I agree with him that delays are regrettable in the process of securing redress for the survivors of the laundries. I know that progress has been made, and the Senator accepts that himself, but clearly it needs to be pursued further. I will write to the relevant Department - I think it is the Department of Justice and Equality - and I suggest the Senator does the same in order to get more rapid progress.

Senator Comiskey spoke about the need to build up rural post offices, and I dealt with that matter.

Senator MacSharry seconded the amendment to the Order of Business and also called for a debate on mortgage arrears and repossessions. I hope we will have that next week, if we get confirmation from the Minister for Finance. Senator Conway spoke about the wind energy debate and also referred to the fact that some banks do not take coin lodgements on particular dates. I do not think this is only an issue in rural Ireland. The Dame Street branch of Bank of Ireland is quite limited in some of the functions it carries out. For example, international transfers of money now have to be done online. This is a general issue on which we could have a debate.

Senator Mullen called for a debate on wind energy and referred to the effect of pylons on thoroughbred horse breeding. We had a debate on pylons in this House recently with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, but I will seek the debate on energy, as I have said.

Senator Burke raised the issue of the cost of drugs and the seeming delay in any impact from the important legislation passed some months ago which provided for the prescription of generic medicines. I agree entirely that it seems extraordinary that there has not been more progress. I know there has been some progress, with reports of some chemists offering generic drugs as a general rule, and these are much more cost effective. Senator Burke also raised the issue of the GP contract. We received a briefing recently from the Minister of State, Deputy White, at a Labour Party conference. He published the draft contract with GPs, which was developed by the Department of Health and the HSE for the very important aim that all children aged under six will now be able to access GP services for free. That will mean an additional 240,000 children by this summer. It is a wonderful development and this Government can be very proud of it. The draft contract has been placed online in the interests of transparency, so that everyone can see it and so that people can input into it. The Minister of State has met with representatives of the IMO and the Irish College of General Practitioners. There is ongoing consultation concerning the terms of the contract and it is premature to see any particular clause within it as being set in stone, as Senator Crown said.

I emphasise that and the Minister of State, Deputy White, has also emphasised it. I will ask-----