Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader for the draft Order of Business. I welcome the debate on the Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this very significant and progressive legislation. I was present at the launch of the Heritage Council Strategic Plan 2023-2028 at 10.30 a.m. this morning. The document, Our Place in Time, was launched by the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. I recommend that everyone gets a copy of this excellent document as it is very simple, has great clarity and sets out the vision. I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange at a future date statements on heritage because the strategic plan is worthy of that. I know we will discuss heritage later today. I wish to mention an interesting extract, quoted in the document, from a speech by Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of The Heritage Council, he said: "When we speak of heritage today, we are talking about our interaction with the world around us, both real and abstract, our identity and our need to tell our own story in our own way", which is important to note. The strategy plan is a really good document and I commend it to the Seanad. I am sure that there will be copies of it available later in the day and it would be worth having one. I acknowledge the roles of Dr. Martina Moloney, who is a former chief executive in Galway, and Ms Virginia Teehan, who is the chief executive officer of the Heritage Council. I also acknowledge the work done by the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, on this extremely important strategic plan. I hope we will have statements on heritage when there is an available slot.

I spoke at great length about Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, on 15 February when I raised issues concerning the code of conduct, and the laws and codes that are set down for the code of governance of the semi-State sector. I wish to acknowledge the enormous work that Senator Kyne has done on this matter. We have asked for the Minister to come to this House. We do not want him to come here in two or three weeks' time under his terms. As this is a very serious matter, there are options open to us under Standing Orders. We can lodge such requests, but let us try to work with people, not against them. I again ask the Leader if she can arrange a debate on this matter in the presence of the Minister. Currently, IFI has no directors. There are issues of responsibility, accountability and the allocation of budgets, resources and personnel. All of these issues are in the mix in terms of the controversy and crisis being experienced by the organisation. Of course we must stress the importance of integrity, transparency, public concern, a lack of confidence and the issue of actual or perceived issues of concern. I again ask the Leader to invite the Minister to come here to discuss the serious crisis around IFI.