Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I too join with Senator Barrett and the Cathaoirleach in welcoming the British ambassador to Ireland, Dominick Silcott, to the Visitors Gallery today. I had the pleasure of being in his company at the Hay in Kells festival over the weekend. It was a good and varied festival at which I took part in the Google debate, a valuable discussion on freedom of information and protection for whistleblowers. It also touched on the new issues raised by the right to forget ruling from the European Court of Justice that now puts an onus on Google to make decisions as to whether information ought to be kept or forgotten. We would do well to have a debate on this matter in this House as it will impinge on everyone’s life, one way or the other.

I agree with Senator Hayden on having a debate on the many pre-budget submissions we are receiving and will continue to receive. It is important we do this before the recess, if at all possible. I know we are very busy but the budget process may run away from us at a pace with which we will not be able to keep up if we leave it to when we come back after the summer.

I extend my congratulations to Deputy Joan Burton on becoming leader of the Labour Party. It is a unique situation to all political parties that the chair of the party is a woman, Loraine Mulligan, the leader is a woman, Deputy Burton, and the general secretary is a woman, Ita McAuliffe. This is the first time in political history that all three key positions in a political party have been held by women. I am proud of that fact and that it is the Labour Party that is leading the way in this regard. I am sure Deputy Burton will bring her heart and head to all the matters which face us. I welcome the fact she has pledged to stay in government. As Senator O’Donovan knows, there is much work to be done, particularly on debt forgiveness. I feel she will play a leading role in helping bring a resolution to that issue.