Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Goodwill and friendship. I look forward to seeing the transfers in the Seanad Trinity panel, if there is one on the next occasion. I welcome that decision. Like Senators Noone, Higgins, Gavan and Norris, I welcome the decision of the Supreme Court today relating to the issue of the rights of the unborn in our Constitution. It is significant that the seven judges agreed. Senator Norris' comments are well-made. There is much information from Senator Norris that we can listen to, reflect on and act upon. I know the Leas-Chathaoirleach has said we will have that debate as part of the Bill. I assure Senator Gavan that, as Leader of the House, I will not delay passage of the Bill. There may well be a very tight timeline to have the Bill passed. At the same time, as Senator Gavan will appreciate, given that we sat on the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, there is a need to allow others who have not participated to have their voice heard as part of that debate, which may present a different viewpoint from ours. That will be a tricky balancing act and may require creativity by group leaders of different groups in the House to ensure that we have ample time to debate the Bill rather than rushing it through. I am sure we can work together on that. The point the Senator makes is that we should not, as a House, be seen to be an impediment or a delay. I entirely agree with the Senator.

I have not seen Senator Bacik's motion yet, but as part of the statements on foreign affairs today, perhaps the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade might have a conversation with the Senator.

In response to Senator Higgins, I have not had a ruling on the European Court of Justice investor-state dispute settlement system come across my desk just yet. We will have a debate with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade today. I know it is not necessarily linked to that but it could be part of it. We will try to have the debate in the coming weeks.

Seanad reform is a matter beyond the remit of my office. It is up to the Taoiseach to decide the composition and chair of the committee. Work on that is under way. As with the eighth amendment, there will be diverging views on the reform of Seanad Éireann. Perhaps the two shall meet. Senator Higgins has one view. Others have a different view. We must try to achieve a balance.

I covered Senator Coffey's contribution with regard to Vótáil 100 and Irish Water. I acknowledge the symposium that took place yesterday for John Redmond.

Senator Swanick has been a champion of and advocate for those who are lonely. He has done so again this morning. I echo the words of Seán Moynihan that it is not just about last week but an ongoing issue for some people.

I agree with Senator Craughwell about pay restoration. There is a need to see accelerated pay restoration for teachers. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, has accelerated the pace of recruitment and I welcome that.

Senator Noone, who excellently chaired the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, contributed regarding the eighth amendment. We need to see an informed debate not just in this House but throughout the country, and not just on people's opinions but on fact rather than fiction.

I was not aware of the supplementary examination fee at Trinity College Dublin but I agree with Senator Gavan that we should not be putting in place an impediment or barrier to people participating in higher education or further education. While I am not aware of the situation in Trinity College Dublin, as an educator myself and having gone to college, to increase the fee the level the Senator speaks about, €450, for those students who have to do repeat examinations does not make good sense. Even if it is done for economic reasons, it puts a hardship on people who are struggling already. There is mental pressure, and the physical act of having to come back and repeat examinations is not a very happy one. I hope that Trinity College Dublin will review that situation. I would not agree with it personally.

I congratulate Senator Dolan on raising the issue of brain awareness. This week is brain awareness week. I congratulate the Neurological Alliance of Ireland which is hosting a conference this weekend. It is a very important issue. I chaired the Joint Committee on Health and we had a number of significant debates on that. I echo the Senator's point that further work needs to be done on the issue of brain awareness and neurology as an entity in our health care system.

Senator Lombard raised the issue of new local government arrangements in Cork. He referred to a particular case, and while I will not get into that, there is a need for joined-up thinking by both authorities.

I join Senator Paul Daly in condemning the theft of oil from numerous homes throughout the country. He is right that there is an issue with thugs and thieves coming on to people's property to steal fuel.There needs to be away around that to ensure people are protected. We cannot have a garda at every corner of every townland or other part of rural Ireland but the Senator is right. Perhaps the Department of Employment and Social Protection and others should have a mechanism where we can ensure we raise awareness of this problem through the community alert programme or through the Department of Justice and Law Reform to alert people to this issue. Such theft is disappointing and upsetting for people. The case the Senator cited of the person who had got a fill of oil at 2.30 p.m. and it was gone by 4 p.m. is disgraceful. There is more work to be done in that regard.

I will not get into a row with Senator Ó Domhnaill about the issue he raised. Michael O'Neill was being protective of his own players rather than having players lost to the Football Association of Ireland, FAI. The FAI has remained silent on it. Michael O'Neill is a Catholic. He was referring to Catholic players being signed up for the Republic. I do not believe he was being mischievous other than looking out for his own players. We are all involved in sport and we must protect our own, but I would certainly hope he was not being sectarian. I will not get into a row on it but it is important that we allow for players to choose whichever side they want to play for.

The irony of Senator Davitt's contribution is that some of his colleagues in Fianna Fáil were criticising the fact that we did not announce the double week for the social protection fuel allowance earlier. The logistics-----