Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are now dealing with the motion regarding the Independent Review of the Handling of Past Complaints of Abuse in St John Ambulance Service. I inform Members of the House that, as they are aware, under the new procedure approved by the House, the combined speeches of the proposer and seconder of the motion should not exceed 16 minutes and all other Senators have six minutes. I wish to inform and remind all Members before the debate begins, having regard to the sensitivity of the issues involved, of the need to be cautious in referring to persons outside the House who are not in a position to defend themselves.

As Members will be aware, the House has adopted Standing Orders which seek to strike an appropriate balance between the rights of Members to engage freely in debate on matters of public importance and the rights of all persons affected by such debate. Standing Orders 49A, 49B and 49C provide for a mechanism by which a person who is of the opinion that he or she has been adversely affected by an utterance can make a written submission and these Standing Orders set out procedures for dealing with the matter. In light of that, can I ask all of us to exercise due responsibility in any references Members may make to persons outside the House.

I welcome Mick Finnegan to the Public Gallery and I thank him for the work he has been doing on this particular matter. I also welcome the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to the House.

I now call on Senator Seery Kearney to move the motion. I understand that Senator Dolan will be seconding the motion and will be sharing time with Senator Seery Kearney, and that Senator Seery Kearney will be closing the debate on behalf of the movers of the motion.