Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re Convention on the Constitution, without debate, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, Health Identifiers Bill 2013 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to be taken at noon and to adjourn no later than 1.30 p.m. if not previously concluded, the contribution of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes; No. 3, motion re freedom of information, to be taken at 1.35 p.m. and to conclude no later than 2 p.m., the contribution of all Senators not to exceed three minutes and the Minister to be given five minutes to reply to the debate. Business will be interrupted until 3 p.m.; No. 4, Private Members' business, motion No. 8 of No. 48, to be taken at 3 p.m. and to conclude no later than 5 p.m.

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, come to the House to discuss the expert group that has been established. While we afford a cautious welcome to the individuals that are involved and the move to appropriately and independently examine the case I refer Members to motions on the issue in both Houses, one in particular in the Dáil, where the Minister proclaimed that one cannot change on the whim of a passing fashion. Such was his view on the high voltage lines that are to be overground. Clearly, we are operating in a two-tier Ireland where proximity to a Minister dictates approach to major capital projects; funding in the first instance and it seems, safety, in the second instance. The new body is to examine Grid Link, which affects counties from Cork to Kildare and the Taoiseach's constituency of Mayo to Roscommon. The people of Laois, Cavan, Monaghan and Meath can swing for it because their safety concerns do not apply to the Labour-Fine Gael Government in power. One wonders whether it is because there is no Minister in those locations. In any event, it commands and demands the attention of the Minister. When he is finished explaining himself on Newstalk this morning he might come into one of the Houses of the Oireachtas, namely, the Seanad, to explain why that is the case.

A second and related point is that while welcoming this group and welcoming the intention to examine the matter, we have huge concerns on the lack of a health expert on it. The eminent Catherine McGuinness is chairing it, the economist, Colm McCarthy, the economist, John FitzGerald, Professor Keith Bell, an expert in the specific area of technology, and others with expertise in architecture and landscape. Who is going to advise on health? The Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, has written to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, highlighting health concerns on the issue, yet the chief medical officer has said it is not his responsibility to examine the impact of power lines. We are somewhat in disarray as to the approach that must be taken on the issue. First, all are equal in Ireland but some are more equal than others in the context of the lack of attention to the north east of the country. Second, we are putting an expert group together to consider the aesthetic impact of the lines but there are no concerns about health. That sounds foolish in the extreme. It is almost as foolish as the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, in December simply saying that one cannot change on the whim of a passing fashion.

Deputy McEntee in a contribution on local radio this morning was most concerned about the issue. She appealed to Catherine McGuinness, the chair, to extend her remit to look at the north east. Surely Deputy McEntee and Members of this House know that it is not the eminent former Supreme Court judge, Catherine McGuinness, who decides on the remit, it is the Minister? Let the Government decide whether all the people of Ireland are equal and whether we are to deal with the issue in an appropriate fashion. We will be pressing this to a vote.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Could Senator MacSharry clarify the amendment?

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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It is that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, would come to the House today to explain the make-up of the expert group that is to consider high voltage lines and why he has excluded 40% of the people of Ireland in that action.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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I also welcome the appointments by the Minister to the expert group, in particular to very much welcome the fact that it will be chaired by former judge and Senator, Catherine McGuinness, who has proven herself an excellent chair on similar expert group reports on very different issues such as the prison at Thornton Hall. I anticipate that the group will conduct its hearings in a thorough and comprehensive manner.

I wish to return to the judgment in the Louise O'Keeffe case by the European Court of Human Rights which both I and a number of colleagues referred to yesterday. We should have a debate, not just on the ramifications of the judgment itself but on its ramifications for other cases. I declare an interest as someone who has represented people in the past who sued national school managers and boards on the same basis as Louise O'Keeffe and whose actions were therefore affected by the outcome of her case. There was a suggestion by her solicitor yesterday that the State should review its attitude or response to the applications made by applicants in similar cases. That is entirely appropriate given the very different decision to which the European Court of Human Rights has come in comparison to the decisions in our domestic courts.

In that vein, could I also ask that we might similarly have a debate on measures the State has taken in recent years to safeguard children in schools against abuse? We touched on the issue previously and we covered various aspects of it. We have debated various items of legislation such as the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act and the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act but it would be worth looking at all those matters together.

I ask that we might have a debate on school patronage. Some colleagues yesterday referred to comments by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, over the weekend. He was widely misquoted and misreported. In fact, he was responding to school principals at their conference who asked him about trying to fit the curriculum into the time allotted to them. He pointed out that there is a good deal of time spent teaching religion, in particular in schools of religious faith, especially in years when there is sacramental preparation such as second class when there is preparation for communion. That is a valid point which has been made previously. We do spend a larger amount of time in primary schools teaching religion than in any other European country. All of us agree with the notion of parental choice but when 95% of schools are under religious control and 90% of those are under Catholic control there is very little choice for many parents who would prefer not to have their children receive instruction in a particular faith.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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That is anti-Catholic bias.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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Senator Quinn referred to the school holidays as being too long. Primary school holidays are only two months long - it is just July and August. There are good pedagogical reasons children and teachers should have a break from the intensity of lessons. I speak as a parent of primary school children.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I am sure my colleague, Senator Quinn, was not advocating forced labour for the children involved. He did make an interesting point, nonetheless. Tacaím go mór leis an méid adúirt mo chomhghleacaí, an Seanadóir MacSharry, maidir leis an Aire Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha, an Teachta Rabbitte. We have seen the Minister's original high-handed dismissal of the proposed burying of the power lines softening in the light of public reaction. It is clear that what was announced yesterday has nothing to do with the erection of pylons and has everything to do with the election or non-election-----

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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-----of Government candidates in the local and European elections. For once, the Government is being transparent because this is clearly a pre-election stunt.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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That is surely a first.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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We have learned as well that wind energy companies are planning to lay more than 200 km of high-voltage electricity cables underground across five midland counties. Does that not undermine the Government's previous insistence that burying power lines is not feasible?

Would it not be ironic if lines were to be put underground to satisfy the requirements of other metal structures, namely turbines, rather than to save our natural amenity, tourism, the quality of rural community life and the value of the land of rural dwellers? We are not going to learn anything new. I mean no disrespect to the commission in saying the Government will not learn anything it does not already know. Any difference in cost associated with putting the lines underground would be more than offset by the moneys saved by not damaging tourism, our amenities and land prices.

Let me raise the disturbing news that the Central Bank has ordered over 200 credit unions to cut lending. The latest reports suggest that thousands of credit union members are being refused loans because half of the credit unions are under orders to limit lending. I have heard disturbing reports that older people are being refused loans for cars and parents are being refused short-term loans to defray family costs. Some are being denied loans to cover funeral costs because of the lending limits. This undermines the entire basis of the community credit system. I am sure bank managers are delighted the Central Bank is using such a blunt instrument to restrict lending. I agree with the Irish League of Credit Unions in questioning the criteria being applied when a credit union is told to limit lending. It is a blunt instrument and it is not in the best interest of the community and those most in need of the great service the credit union system has been providing over the years. I would be grateful if the Leader could invite the Minister for Finance to the House to debate this.

Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael)
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I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Education and Skills to the House to debate the respective responsibilities and liabilities in the primary school sector, and the sector's interaction with the State. I am delighted that Ms Louise O'Keeffe received the result she deserved in the European Court of Human Rights. All the Members of this House can unite in praise of her determination in fighting what must have been insurmountable odds. As a legislator and teacher, I very much welcome the outcome and the clear decision that the state actor, our State, had a clear duty of care towards Ms O'Keeffe and others. The State, during the term of the current Government, has not been slow to admit the mistakes of the past and I hope it will do so again. This case, however, throws into sharp focus our system of primary education and its myriad contradictions. The State has a constitutional obligation to provide primary education for free. Through historical agreement, the State has always fulfilled its obligations by providing funding to privately managed schools or schools of a religious ethos supervised by a patron. The State trains the teachers, sets the curriculum, pays the wages, inspects educational standards and maintains the schools. The local school, under religious patronage of whatever variety, employs the teacher and decides who gets in. Heretofore, the State was able to avoid any liability for abuse on the basis of not having any liability in tort law as it was not the employer. The patron was the employer. Although the judgment is but a day old and requires comprehensive analysis, it appears the State may now have liability for each case of abuse that occurred or may again occur.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Is the Senator seeking a debate?

Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael)
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I am asking the Leader to invite to the House the Minister for Education and Skills to discuss the respective responsibilities and liabilities in the primary school sector and the sector's interaction with the State.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I join those who welcome the findings of the European Court of Human Rights yesterday in the O'Keeffe case. The protection of children must always be prioritised. We should recognise that the State has rightly been very critical of failures in the church organisations and various other bodies to protect children, but often it is quite sanguine about its own responsibilities in this regard. This will now have to be faced up to. Those responsible within the public service should equally be held to ridicule for their failures in this regard.

Does the Leader agree with me in commending the Committee of Public Accounts on its very wise decision yesterday? It decided, as was its right, to continue to hear in private - this is the correct format - the evidence of a Garda sergeant on losses of revenue. It is correct to confine its proceedings to this. These matters have shone a light on the modus operandi of the Government and its interaction with the Parliament and its committees. While I commend the Minister on his initiative, I believe he would have to admit he took the decision to refer the matter to the Garda Ombudsman rather belatedly.

The Leader will certainly agree with me that any inhouse inquiry of this nature is very much facilitated and enhanced by virtue of having an independently produced report available to those involved. The Leader, other Senators and I sat for a number of years hearing witnesses in inquiries that had been carried out by Mr. Justice Barron on the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and various other atrocities committed in the State with British collusion. We found that to be a very good format. Having the report enabled the committee to be incisive in the manner in which it conducted its inquiries. It helped immeasurably.

The Committee of Public Accounts, which does great work, does not have any representation from the Seanad.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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It is a Dáil committee, as the Senator knows well.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I do not accept that the functions of that body should exclude Members of this House. It does not involve increasing the cost of the Exchequer but scrutinising and monitoring. There are many Members in this House who would be prepared to do this. Most of us would agree that Senator Sean Barrett, for example, would be a very valued member of the committee and make a good input.

Will the Leader consider this matter and also the continuing discrimination of Members of this House, who recently received a mandate from the people, and Members of the other House with regard to a range of allowances? It is only when one starts doing one's returns that one sees the disparity. There is no justification whatsoever for what is occurring. I ask the CPP and the Committee on Members' Interests of Seanad Éireann to examine these issues. I do not mind if allowances are scaled back but there should be no disparity or discrimination between Members of this Houses with regard to these issues.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I am rarely surprised by anything that happens in this House but I must admit I was somewhat surprised by Senator Rónán Mullen's intervention. I fully expected him to rise to his feet to condemn Senator Bacik's comments on religious teaching in primary schools. Instead, he applied himself-----

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I am on the record as supporting diversity.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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He applied himself to the matter of pylons, which makes me wonder who is in election mode around here.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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Unlike the Government, I never stray from my roots.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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It seems the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, is damned if he does and damned if he does not. I welcome the appointment of the expert panel, chaired by Ms Catherine McGuinness. It will inspire confidence regarding the location of the interconnector and electricity circuits.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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Residents will not be too reassured.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I took pleasure yesterday in attending the launch of the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county sports participation strategy for the years 2013 to 2017. I am happy to state Dún Laoghaire exceeds the national average in every category of activity. What is important to note, however, is that Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown has a higher average age than the rest of the population. I wish to draw attention to a longitudinal study that was published very recently on the health of those in the over-50 cohort. There is some good news and bad news. Worryingly, over one third of those over 50 are obese, and over 44% are overweight. This has serious consequences for their health, particularly cardiovascular health. There is no doubt that we have been paying a lot of attention to the obesity of younger children, as we rightly should, but we must not forget that there is an older cohort to whom attention should also be paid in terms of their life expectancy and health. Over 20% of men and 25% of women over 50 had fallen in the 12 months prior to the study. This is a very worrying matter that should be taken into account, particularly when considering lifelong adaptability of housing and what we are doing in our built environment. While I acknowledge that this House has been very active in discussing age and ageing, we could have a further debate on these issues in line with the study.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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I again call on the Government, through the good offices of the Leader, to halt the establishment of Irish Water and abandon its regressive policy on water provision. We have heard in recent days from experts and economists that there could be an overspend of €2 billion on Irish Water. It was quite obvious to Senators on this side of the House when we were discussing the Water Services Bill and asking direct questions of the Minister of State during the lengthy debates on the issue that this was a disaster waiting to happen. It was clear that there was no proper accountability and transparency and it seemed to us that the Minister of State either did not have the information or was not willing to give it to us when we asked various questions during the course of the debate. We asked questions about staffing, recruitment and bonuses. We have now learned that Irish Water has hired a number of former senior officials at local government level, including a former county manager in Waterford who retired with a very generous package and had his pension topped up. Mr. Ray O'Dwyer was given a very generous severance package, had his pension topped up by having a number of years added and then walked into a top job in Irish Water. The pension abatement rules do not apply to him and when asked why in the Dáil yesterday, the Taoiseach's responded that it was because Irish Water was a semi-State or commercial business. That is simply not acceptable. This is exactly what causes many people to throw their hands up in the air in despair at how we do business. That a senior official in local government could be retired with a very generous package and then walk into a job in an organisation primarily funded by the State is simply not good enough. We must have a debate on this issue. We must discuss the pension abatement rules applying not just to the public service but also to any institution funded by the taxpayer. That would ensure fairness because there certainly is no fairness in the current arrangement. The individual involved should not be taking the salary he is taking. The Government should ensure in the instances where people have received top-up payments that the pension abatement rules will apply; otherwise, how can people have any confidence that the Government will do things differently from the previous one?

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome this morning's job announcement in the Cork region, the fourth such announcement in the past seven days. It indicates that the way we are running the economy is having a positive effect on investors who now have the confidence to invest in this country again.

While I always welcome Senator Rónán Mullen's contributions in the House, I advise him that issues such as the single farm payment and other farming related matters are also relevant. I am sure he will become an expert on these issues in the run-up to the European Parliament elections.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I am closer to the land than the Senator ever was. It is a while since he last saw the back end of a cow.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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The Senator will become very familiar with these issues in the next few months. As someone who comes from an area where an entire valley was flooded to provide electricity-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Does the Senator have a questions for the Leader?

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I do and it is very relevant. I come from an area where an entire valley was flooded in the building of a hydroelectric power station. While my own family was directly affected by that development, benefits accrued to the entire community and country in that the State was able to provide electricity for every household and business. That was 50 years ago and today we must look at new ways of developing and making sure business can be conducted anywhere in the country. We need to have a structured and real debate on the issue. The Minister is right to initiate the review recently announced. We should have a debate in this House in order that all of the issues can be put on the table. It is important to do this now because we need leadership. There is misinformation, while a lot of factual information is unavailable. A debate in the House on the issue would be helpful. I invite Senator Rónán Mullen to come to my part of the country when I will show him the changes made to the landscape.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I invite the Senator to visit my farm, too.

Mary White (Fianna Fail)
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Does the Senator have three jobs?

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I raise an issue touched on by Senator Aideen Hayden. A study was published this week which showed that the risk of obesity doubled for those living in low income households, which is no big surprise. The study of childhood obesity discovered that socioeconomic factors impacted significantly on a child's chances of becoming obese, with parents' social class, education and whether they drank or smoked all having a major impact. This should come as no surprise as the environment often plays a role in a great many aspects of a child's life. In this instance, the impact is alarming in that the risk of obesity is actually doubled. While I agree entirely with Senator Aideen Hayden that we need to address the fact that many adults are obese, it starts with children. In fact, mothers being obese is a vitally important factor. The study also revealed that children who were obese had an 82% chance of remaining so into adulthood compared to just 15% of children of normal weight. One interesting finding was that if a mother was obese, her child was 5.5 times more likely to be obese. This is of concern and may also go some way towards explaining why those in lower income households are more susceptible. Dietary education can play an enormous role in highlighting how people can feed themselves healthily and inexpensively by cooking from scratch. Such education should be provided for parents also in schools. Obesity is a ticking time bomb for the nation, especially in the context of the cost to the health service which is already struggling. One in four children is now classified as being overweight or obese. I apologise for raising this issue again, but I would be very grateful if we could engage in public consultation or a debate on it in the very near future.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I second Senator Marc MacSharry's amendment to the Order of Business calling on the Minister for Communications, Energy and National Resources to come to the House to discuss the establishment of an expert group. While I welcome the establishment of the expert group, I deplore the decision to omit the counties of Cavan, Monaghan, Meath, Laois and Offaly from its remit. It is important that the Minister come to the House to explain why these counties were excluded. Are their inhabitants second-class citizens, as Senator Marc MacSharry suggested? We demand to know the reason for their exclusion. There seems to be confusion among Government Deputies, particularly those from the north-east region, on the matter. Deputy Conlan who represents the constituency in which I live said on radio this morning that he had spoken to the Taoiseach and had been assured that his constituency would be included in the next 48 hours. At the same time, the Minister said in the national media that it would still be excluded, while this morning Deputy Helen McEntee called for its inclusion. What exactly is going on? To facilitate the Minister in putting the record straight, I strongly support the call made by Senator Marc MacSharry that the Minister come to the House this morning to discuss the matter and explain the reasons for his decision. It was interesting to hear Senator Rónán Mullen suggest some of the wind energy companies planned to lay over 200 km of cable underground to facilitate the provision of electricity for the United Kingdom. I understand they offered these facilities to Eirgrid in the counties affected but that the offer was not taken up. Why was it not accepted? I strongly urge the Minister to come to the House.

Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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Members will agree that access to a supply of safe, clean drinking water is a basic human right. However, householders and business people in Kilreekil having been fighting for this basic right for 30 years. Unfortunately, they are now considering taking a case to the European court, given the failure of successive Governments to address their plight. Approximately 140 homes, a primary school, a pub and a shop must all rely on private wells and rainwater tanks for their water supply, which is not good enough in this day and age. Investment in water infrastructure is now within the remit of Uisce Éireann and I am calling on its CEO, Mr. John Tierney, to ensure the necessary funding is provided to extend the Loughrea regional scheme to Kilreekil.

I have every confidence that Uisce Éireann will successfully address our infrastructural deficits in the coming years. I want it to have that first success in County Galway and to lay down a marker by providing the necessary funding for the Loughrea scheme and to deal with the unacceptable difficulties with water supply in Kilreekil to be addressed for once and for all. I hope the people of Kilreekil will not have to go to the expense of taking their case to Europe. This is a situation that should have been dealt with many years ago. I look forward to a positive outcome to this matter.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I support Senator MacSharry’s amendment to the Order of Business to allow for a debate on the pylons issue. What have the people of Meath done to this Government that means they are treated as second-class citizens? What is going on is outrageous. Deputies in Meath have shown themselves to be completely powerless and supine to whatever is going on. We now have these Deputies reduced to pleading with a retired Supreme Court judge to include Meath in her review. This review is the Government’s baby and such pressure on a Supreme Court judge is wrong and unfair.

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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This is a Cabinet decision. The buck stops with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte. We are not second-class citizens in Meath and will not be taken as such. There is uproar and consternation in County Meath about this. I am sure it is the same in County Cavan.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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As well as counties Monaghan and Laois.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I have councillors from Cavan and Monaghan phoning me about this review. There is uproar there too. They feel they are second-class citizens. It is as if the Government is saying “We do not care. Push ahead”. The question is why. Is it to do with the wind farm projects going ahead in County Meath, which are also causing consternation? Is private business pushing this agenda to get this project through County Meath?

The Cabinet’s decision on a review yesterday morning was a disgrace and outrageous. The people of Meath, Cavan and Monaghan will not forget this action by this Government.

Terry Brennan (Fine Gael)
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Two weeks ago I suggested in the House that we have a forum to discuss pylons, overhead and underground cables, their advantages and disadvantages, a forum similar to the hearings we had with outside experts on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill.

I welcome the Minister’s announcement of the setting up of an expert independent panel to oversee and prepare a report on all aspects of the GridLink and GridLink West projects. The running of the North-South interconnector through Meath and Monaghan should also be considered by this expert group.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Terry Brennan (Fine Gael)
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Planning permission has not been granted for the interconnector. This should be considered by the expert group and planning permission should be delayed. Up to 35,000 submissions have been received in the pylon consultation process. It is only right and proper that all of these are taken into the expert group’s deliberations.

Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)
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I pay my respects to the late Ted Nealon. There are many in the House who would have known him as a former Deputy for Sligo-Leitrim. I extend my condolences to his family. He was a journalist, a footballer and a politician who will be missed.

Marie Moloney (Labour)
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Many Senators campaigned vigorously for the retention of the 9% VAT rate in the hospitality sector. The Minister for Finance agreed to our request and retained it. However, it is now time for the sector to play ball with the Government. For example, on the night of the Garth Brooks concerts, a hotel not far from Leinster House has raised the price of a double room from €149 to €299. While I know hotels will take advantage of the demand for rooms, they should not be exploiting these events. These are our own people, coming from all over Ireland for the Garth Brooks concert. It is expensive enough with train fares, food and concert tickets, not to have to pay double the price for a hotel room. In a way, these hotels are cutting off their nose to spite their face. If they kept prices down, people might decide to stay an extra night. Will the Irish Hotels Federation speak to its members and ensure they do not exploit people at times when there is a demand for rooms? Will the Leader ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to attend the House so we can hear his views on this?

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator MacSharry raised the question of the appointment of the expert group to oversee the quality of route options for the EirGrid transmission project. This has been welcomed and I note the comments about the north east. I have sought clarity on this matter but have not received any word on it as of yet.

Senator Mullen said we would have nothing to learn from the expert group before it even met. I know he is in campaign mode.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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If the Leader were in listening mode, he would know what the people want on the pylons issue.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I received Senator Mullen’s invitation to attend his candidacy launch in Galway but, unfortunately, I will have to decline it.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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Is the Leader washing his hair?

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator Bacik called for a debate on school patronage and for the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the House on the matter. Senator Naughton asked about the implications of the O’Keeffe judgment and for the Minister to debate this matter too. We will have to allow him some time to digest the implications of the judgment but a debate can be arranged.

The decisions of the Committee of Public Accounts are a matter for the committee. I do not intend to comment on that.

Senators Hayden and Noone raised the longitudinal study in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area. Senator Hayden called for a further debate on the issue of the ageing population and the problems outlined in the report. Senator Noone raised the issue of obesity and the need for more dietary education in schools. These are valid points which should be addressed again in the House.

Senator Cullinane raised the issue of staffing at Irish Water. As I said yesterday, he should read what was said on Committee and Report Stages of the water services legislation. Many Members asked for staff from the water services divisions of local authorities to be recruited and the service agreements extended.

Senator Colm Burke complimented the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, on four job announcements in Cork this week. This is wonderful for the people of Cork. Of course, many other areas are jealous of the number of jobs going to Cork but we really should not be.

Marie Moloney (Labour)
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We should open the border to Kerry.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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He also called for action on flood prevention in Cork and that we have a further debate on this matter.

I note the points made by Senators Wilson and Byrne on EirGrid. I also note Senator Mullins points about difficulties with the water supply in Kilreekil and that Uisce Éireann should address this as a matter of urgency.

We all join Senator O'Keeffe in expressing sympathy to the family of Ted Nealon, the former Deputy, journalist, broadcaster and author. I am sure the Ted Nealon guides will go down in history for many years to come. I extend my deepest sympathy to his family.

Senator Moloney raised the issue of hotels increasing their prices when concerts and major events take place. This matter has been raised over the years and I agree with her the matter should be brought up with the Irish Hotels Federation to see whether anything can be done about it.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator MacSharry has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, "That a debate with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to explain the make-up of the expert group which will consider the location of high voltage power lines be taken today". Is the amendment being pressed?

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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Yes.