Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will certainly try to do that. As the Senator knows, timelines are tight, but I am happy to try to facilitate that for her.

Senators Kelleher, Butler and Swanick raised the issue of Syria. As Members know, an all-party motion is being circulated, which I hope will be signed by the different groups. It is important we send a unified message. We can argue about a sentence or a word here or there in a motion, but the overwhelming response from us should be a unified one in condemnation of what is taking place there. We can apportion blame in a different debate. The example Senator Swanick gave and the imagery Senator Butler used with regard to the response he received from the Russian Ambassador are points we can argue until the cows come home. However, people being killed and displaced. Quality of life is being ruined and lives are being lost. It behoves all of us to work to bring about a resolution. Whether one is a member of the permanent Security Council or a Member of Seanad Éireann, we must all work to ensure that what we see happening in Aleppo and in Syria is not condoned but is condemned. We must all bring about a resolution.

I would be happy to arrange for the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House to address the case of vulnerable children, to whom Senator Kelleher referred. I know from talking to the Minister and from her commentary at different fora that she is very progressive on that issue. I would be happy to talk to the Senator again about that.

Senator Ó Ríordáin raised the very important issue of industrial relations. I am not going to pick a political fight with the Senator, who is somebody who has been very much on the picket line with the ASTI in the past. It behoves everybody to engage in negotiations. I would have thought that the tone of the Ministers has been conciliatory. If one reads the language of the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe, Bruton and Fitzgerald, it is about talks and engaging.