Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that Ryanair announced flights from Kerry to Berlin. I hope Ryanair will look at expanding into Cork and Shannon and other airports around the country and create more connectivity.

Senator McDowell raised an issue in respect of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill for next week. I will be happy to reflect on what the Senator said and to speak to the Clerk, the Cathaoirleach and the Whips about the issue. He raised an important matter. My information is that the Minister and the Government require the Bill to be passed into law as quickly as possible, but I will revert to the House on that.

This will present a problem with the logistics as we have agreed our business at the group meeting so there may be no business for Tuesday next. We may not be sitting next Tuesday because we may not be able to get anybody else at short notice to fill the time that was allocated for the Bill. We will have a conservation later about that matter.

Senator Richmond raised the issue of citizenship. I will be happy to have the Minister for Justice and Equality come to the House to discuss that.

Senators Gavan, Wilson and Landy raised the issue of the Mandate trade union. Senator Landy sent his apologies for not being able to be here, as did Senators Ó Clochartaigh and Craughwell. I have huge empathy with the workers. I am sorry that I could not get to the briefing this morning. I did give Senator Conway-Walsh the note I got in regard to Tesco yesterday. It is important that the rights and entitlements of workers are protected. We have fought hard to have these protections afforded to workers under our law. I hope that Tesco and Mandate will continue to engage in the industrial mechanisms of the State. The latest e-mail from Tesco contains a sign that it is willing to engage. It is important that the Minister is made aware of the matter and I will bring it to her attention again. I urge all sides to participate in talks. It is important that we protect our workers. I go into Tesco in Wilton in Cork late at night and I have got to know some of the staff. As I said to Senator Gavan yesterday, some of them are working for a rate just above the minimum wage. It was mentioned that the rate is €14 an hour. It is important that we protect the rights of staff. Equally it is important that both sides engage meaningfully. I will be happy to invite the Minister to the House to address the issue.

Senators Conway and Wilson raised the issue of privilege. I am not sure if it is through the Office of the Cathaoirleach that the note on privilege will be issued. I will discuss the matter with the Clerk of the Seanad with a view to circulating it. It is important, as Senator Wilson said, that we use privilege wisely and judiciously.

Senator Landy raised the issue of the greyhound industry. I was not aware that the events were cancelled but we have put in a request that a Minister would come to the House to address a Commencement matter on this issue.

I share Senator Gallagher's concern and I offer my sympathies to the relatives of those who were tragically killed and injured in the incident. I will ask the Minister for Health to come to the House in regard to the ambulance service.

Senator Noone raised the matter of the coroner's report on synthetic drugs. We will discuss this matter.

Senators McFadden and Wilson raised the issue of the Defence Forces. The Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, will be in the House on 9 March. I am aware that Senator McFadden is a member of the committee at which I understand members of the Defence Forces Reserve appeared this morning.

Senator Byrne raised the issue of connectivity in terms of the ability to book beyond 5 September. I suggest she write to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, on the matter and raise it as a Commencement matter. She could take it up with Aer Lingus. The matter she raised is vital to the regions when one is trying to get connectivity from North America to places beyond Shannon. I think connectivity is important.

Senator Reilly raised the issue of the day hospital in Swords. Again, to be fair to Senator Reilly, despite Senator Gallagher's review of his tenure in the Department of Health, he was the person who started the primary care centres model and asked for it to be rolled out across the country.

Senator Mulherin raised the question of the changes to PRSI. We welcome that and I will ask the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, to come to the House.

Senator Burke raised the matter of health care, which was discussed already. Senator Feighan also raised the matter of health in addition to raising the issue of car insurance. As the Senator will be aware, the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, will issue a report on it.