Seanad debates

Wednesday, 22 June 2016

10:30 am

Photo of Jerry ButtimerJerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and that is something that we will all work to do.

In response to Senator Alice-Mary Higgins, I am happy to raise the issue of poverty proofing and gender proofing of legislation with the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Stanton. I hope that he will attend here for a debate.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh raised the issue of fisheries. I have already spoken to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and he is happy to come to the House, sometime in July, to have a broad discussion on agriculture. On that occasion we can include fisheries in the discussion.

In terms of legislation, if people listened to this morning's debate they would know that the very first act that we took here, apart from the election of the Cathaoirleach, was to restore Bills to the Order Paper. There is a deficit of legislation in the other House. When we talk about new politics one of its by-products is that there is, as mentioned by Senator Craughwell, a lot of hot air and discussion, for the want of an expression. Whether that is positive or negative is a different matter. How we do business and arrive at legislation is one that needs to be looked at by everybody, including the commentariat. One of the positives of pre-legislative scrutiny is that we engage in an in-depth analysis of legislation, which slows the process down. To be fair to Senator Mac Lochlainn, he was a very fine contributor to the justice committee of the last Dáil in terms of pre-legislative scrutiny. There are no kudos for being involved in pre-legislative scrutiny but it is the way to go, as I know from my own position on the Joint Committee on Health and Children. As a House of the Oireachtas, we must acknowledge that legislation will slow down and that the volume of legislation may be less than what existed before.

Senator Landy raised the issues of Japanese knotweed and ash dieback disease. I am happy to invite the relevant Minister to debate both matters in this House but I am not sure whether it comes within the remit of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government or the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Senators Colm Burke and Catherine Noone raised the important issue of obesity and the availability of vending machines. The HSE's health and well-being division had an expert group on vending and calorie posting carry out work on the matter. The results are important because they show that 37% of us are overweight and 23% of us are obese. We are, as a nation, in danger of seeing premature deaths from obesity and of work hours being lost. Linked to all of that, the findings show that there is a risk that young people, in particular children, will be obese from a younger age and may never leave the category. The former Minister for Health, Senator James Reilly, introduced a vending policy and calorie posting. It is important in the context of a discussion that both Senators Burke and Noone requested, and we should have that discussion. The Department and the HSE has now, as part of their policy, promoted the message that this is about choice so make yours a healthy one, which forms part of the vending machines that are located in hospitals. The Senators were right to raise the matter.

Senator Gallagher also raised the issue of health in terms of over prescription. I agree with him that we need such a debate.

Senator Paul Coghlan raised the issue of seagulls. I do not know who would be the appropriate Minister for such a discussion. The issue relates to matters of health, the environment, tourism and the economic but I am happy to categorise all of those elements into just one.

Senator Norris raised the issue of the "Oireachtas Report". At the risk of causing a row, if we do not give the "Oireachtas Report" items to report then it may not necessarily report them. I agree with him that the "Oireachtas Report" should include all of the Oireachtas, be it the committee, the Dáil Chamber or the Seanad. Yesterday, we had a fine debate on health and we also had statements. This morning some of the newspapers reported that there was a minute's silence in the Dáil for the late Jo Cox but failed to mention that we had the same in the Seanad. That shows there is a need to have a discussion with the press office in the Oireachtas. The Senator made a fair point.

Senator Mac Lochlainn made an interesting and valid point about brown bins. I suggest he raise the matter with the Minister tonight during our debate or table a Commencement matter. The Senator is right that it is an important matter.

Senator Ó Domhnaill raised the issue of the national children's hospital. We have had this discussion since before Bertie Ahern's time to now. An independent review group was established and clearly outlined its choice of location. I was Chair of the Joint Committee on Health and Children and other Members of this House were on the committee. We, as a committee, visited the hospital group and met the board of the national children's hospital. The visit was very positive. The issues have been debated and more issues have been raised about the children's hospital. Independent planning was done by An Bord Pleanála, which refused one site but granted the current site. Similarly, a review group has been established and a site has been located. It behoves us now, in Ireland's first digital hospital and first national children's hospital, is to make sure that the venture is a success. I am sure the Minister is happy to come here to debate the matter. The Senator may not be happy with his response. This has been a well-worn long debated argument. The policy decision was arrived at independently and a final location has been selected.

Senator Ó Domhnaill raised the health issue of blood donation. There has been a change in the blood donation policy in the North, which is welcome. I hope that the Minister for Health in the South will follow suit and make a positive change. We have been involved with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and the matter has been discussed by the health committee. It is important that we have a change and there is equality.

I join with all of the other Senators who have raised the issue in wishing the Irish soccer team good luck tonight. It is important that we get a result, not just for the team but for the well-being of the nation. I also pay tribute to the Irish fans who have been a source of pride to us all.

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