Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to second the Leader's proposal for the Order of Business. I am particularly pleased that we will discuss two citizens' assemblies. I will not get into too much debate because we have set aside two hours this afternoon; I thank the Leader and her office staff for arranging that. I will indicate some concern about the proposal by the Government. This motion was amended, but there is still no change. That is the prerogative of the Government but there is a proposal that 12 councillors will be on the citizens' assembly representing the four Dublin local authorities. Fingal County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and South Dublin County Council have 40 members each, while there are in excess of 60 to 64 members in Dublin City Council. I would like Senators to consider that in the next few hours because the view is there should be more representation than that. I look forward and am happy to go through that issue. I would like some support for the amendment, which I have already flagged to Dublin city and county councillors this morning.

I will turn to the issue of the mushroom industry. I had thought the Leader would be in the Chamber and I acknowledge her enormous work, as well as that of the Acting Leader, on the mushroom sector. I know Senator Malcolm Byrne has raised the issue of mushroom production in Wexford. It is also in Wicklow and Monaghan. We are still no further on. We had very protracted discussions on the mushroom sector at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine meeting last night and it appears no Minister is prepared to take responsibility and come to the House. The committee has taken steps to address that, including writing to the Ceann Comhairle. That is another issue but I ask for a renewed debate on the milling of peat in the short term for the horticultural sector.