Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can assure Senator Daly that the forces are very strong on security, in particular. The necessary resources will be provided to the Defence Forces to increase the potential for the security area to develop.

In terms of a debate on a united Ireland, I do not think we will have such a debate before Christmas. We will try to have it early in the New Year.

Senator Bacik mentioned terrorism and the disruption in many spheres caused by the terrorist attacks in Paris, something we are seeing as we go along. The Senator asked about the Climate Change Bill. We will take Report Stage of the Bill on Wednesday next. The Senator also called for a debate on gender equality in the arts. We will probably have that debate in the New Year.

Senator Bacik called for a debate on drugs which was also sought by Senator Noone. I agree with Senator Noone that the Misuse of Drugs Act needs to be updated. I can remember that we debated the issue legal highs not so long ago and Senator Wilson raised the matter in this House five or six years ago. Different types of legal highs are continually being introduced. As a consequence, we need constantly to update the Misuse of Drugs Act to enable the Garda to act. I am sure the Government will address the matter in the very near future because it needs to be done. We must review the legislation continually because of the way those who import drugs and manufacture legal highs change the names of their products which makes it difficult for the Garda to act as we all want it to.

Senator Quinn proposed an amendment to the Order of Business. He requested that No. 14 be taken before No. 1 to allow him to publish his Bill which will be debated at a later stage. I have no problem accepting that amendment to the Order of Business.

Senator Quinn also called for a debate on the film industry. We have seen tremendous success in the sector, and what Wicklow County Council has done about development charges is an example to all bodies and such initiative should be encouraged. I do not think we have had a debate on the film industry in the House in a long time. I will try to facilitate such a debate early in the New Year.

Senator Quinn also called for a review of road closures after serious accidents. I have spoken to the Minister and know he hopes to address the matter. It is crazy to have roads closed for five or six hours following an accident, no matter how serious. There are operational matters which require photographs to be taken and vehicles to be moved but not that there would be such long delays. The Minister is looking at the matter and he will deal with it in the near future.

Senator O'Neill mentioned farm payments. The issue was raised last week by Senator MacSharry who suggested that the farmers concerned were not being paid. That was the information he had been given and people were not getting their farm payments. I am happy to clarify that matter for the Senator and all other Senators. I can confirm that advance payments of the basic payment scheme and greening payment began issuing in Ireland on 16 October 2015, which is the earliest that payments for these scheme can commence under the governing EU regulations. In addition, I can confirm that the level of the advance payment was set at 70% for 2015 rather than 50% heretofore. The increase in the advance payment for 2015 is due in particular to the difficulties encountered in the dairying and pigmeat sectors. Therefore it was a response by Government to the issue. To date, 107,900 farmers have received basic payment scheme payments totalling €680.6 million. The greening payment is a new payment for farmers this year. While the amount due under the greening scheme is calculated as a separate payment, it is paid in the one payment with the basic payment scheme payments. Payment of the areas of natural constraints scheme payments commenced on schedule on 23 September. There are no advance payments under this scheme. To date, 82,240 farmers have received payments totalling €175 million.In Sligo - the Senator referred to this last week - more than 3,500 out of 3,840 farmers with entitlements under the BPS have been paid and 300 farmers out of 4,000 have received their ANC payment. That is a comprehensive reply. The Department may only issue payments in respect of applications that are clear under the BPS and ANC regulations. Outstanding cases are mainly under query with the applicants concerned. The queries include incomplete applications, over-claims and dual claims in respect of BPS and stocking density. The matter of farm payments is being addressed comprehensively by the Minister and the Department.

Senators Mooney, Wilson and others raised the proposed new corporation tax rate of 12.5% for Northern Ireland and called on the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to come to the House to address the implications of that for the Border area, in particular, in the context of job creation. While I agree with Senator Mooney that the perception is that all new jobs are going to Dublin, the fact is 70% of the jobs that have been created this year have gone to the regions. That is difficult to believe because the perception would have been that everything was going to Dublin. However, this is not the case.