Seanad debates

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

10:30 am

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

That will resolve it. I am not accepting the amendment.

Senator Conway-Walsh raised the issue of the Versatis and Anne-Marie's story, which she told, is disturbing. The Minister for Health and the HSE have been before the Joint Committee on Health. Clarity is needed. It might be best for Senator Conway-Walsh to table a Commencement matter. The issue she raises is important.

Senators Conway, Lombard, O'Reilly and Humphreys raised the issue of water. I cannot summon Irish Water to the House. Senator Conway made a very good point, however, in that Irish Water did run a clinic in the previous Oireachtas. Perhaps it should consider resuming that clinic because it gave Members an opportunity on behalf of their constituents to raise matters around water supply. As Senator Lombard said, we are having an exceptionally dry spell there are issues regarding water. We receive updates from Irish Water by email. It has a Members' help desk which responds quite quickly to queries. As Senator Reilly said, farmers face challenges in terms of growth and fodder for cattle. I hope that the water pipe repair work happening in Fanore and Ballyvaughan in County Clare will be completed. I agree with Senator Humphreys that we need - collectively and collaboratively - to tackle and face up to climate change. We seeing in our country now four distinct weather periods or seasons that we perhaps did not have before even though we had four seasons. It is not going to go away and we need to address that matter collectively.

I concur with Senator Swanwick about the thuggery taking place in some parts of the country involving damage to property and equipment of the Civil Defence and lifeguards. These groups make a great contribution to our safety. No words of mine will describe the thugs that treat people so badly. I do not have an update on the Life Saving Equipment Bill 2017. I will not be a barrier to the Senator having it brought back to the House and I hope the Department will engage with him on that. I have worked with him on other Bills and the one that is coming before the House this week. He will not find me wanting in respect of this matter.

Unfortunately, I was not able to meet Senator Gavan's delegation yesterday. He is right about the hospitality sector that it is important that people are treated properly in respect of wage and working conditions. I am an advocate of collective negotiation and bargaining. I disagree with them, however, on the 9%. That was a very good decision on the part of the previous Government. No only does it benefit the hotel industry, it also benefits the service industry. Are we saying to the hairdressers of Ireland that we will put their prices up and force them to question whether they take people on or let them go and increase the prices to customers? It affects more than the hotel industry. I understand the Senator's point but there is a bigger picture and this benefits many different sectors of our economy. The Irish Hotels Federation should and must engage with workers. I have never deviated from that view.

Senator Mulherin raised the issue of premature scrappage of cars her point about the different ways people use cars is important. The Council Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles govern this area. Senator Mulherin's points on this are very pertinent and valid and I would be happy to invite the Minister to the House.

Senator Norris referred to the Taoiseach's comments on the media. I was not present. The Taoiseach's spokesperson said that his comments were taken out of context and quoted selectively. We do need to have an independent media.

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