Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support the case made on behalf of secretarial assistants. If a level in the Department must be agreed with then secretarial assistants should be moved to a different level of pay within the structure of the Department because we all know that the work done by them is without question.

I support the call made by Senator Buttimer yesterday for a debate on amateur boxing. The Senator mentioned Councillor Andrew Duncan from County Westmeath who has a genuine interest in promoting amateur boxing throughout the country. As we all know, our greatest successes at the Olympics have come in amateur boxing. There are people such as Sean Horkan and John Hamrock in County Mayo and Dan Hurley in Cork who have had a genuine interest in promoting boxing over the past 50 or 60 years. Boxing is a great sport to follow and I support the call to arrange a debate.

My final point relates to felling licences, which is an issue in my area and in that of the Deputy Leader. There is a road network in each forest on which timber can be transported. In some cases there are problems deciding who is responsible for building these roads. I must take issue with the people who grant felling licences because they say one needs to employ a contractor to prepare the roads. I believe that should not be the case. If a road is good enough to take the timber out then that should be adequate. Also, these issues should be dealt with at the planning permission stage. I cannot see why these issues were not addressed before planning permission was granted. I ask that this issue be dealt with.