Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Ó Clochartaigh's comments on the McCabe case in Northern Ireland. Any act of terrorism is not acceptable. Certainly, we have made great progress in recent years and this case needs to be investigated by the authorities on both sides of the Border as a matter of urgency.

I also support the self-employed. Thousands of self-employed people have gone out of business in the past five or six years as a result of the economic crisis this country faced. Unfortunately, they were not able to get social welfare or State benefits readily and were treated very badly. These were people who had created jobs when they had the opportunity but who fell on hard times.These individuals found that the various structures of the State were not designed to offer them support. The comments made this morning by a so-called leading trade unionist were disgraceful. I may as well place on record that I have had no respect for that man for many years. The drivel he uttered this morning in respect of self-employed people was just shocking. That person should play no role whatsoever in any future partnership negotiations because I do not believe he is fit to do so.

In the context of the timing of the Order of Business, the Leader has made great strides in the context of improving the efficiencies of the House. However, he should consider the possibility of taking Commencement Matters at 9.30 a.m. each Wednesday and Thursday and then taking the Order of Business at 11 a.m. I am of the view that it is a little late to begin the Order of Business at noon. Perhaps he will take my suggestion into consideration during his next review of the business of the House.