Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No.1, Forestry Bill 2013 - Second Stage, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to be adjourned not later than 3 p.m. if not previously concluded, with contributions from group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes; No. 2, Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 3 p.m. and to be adjourned not later than 5 p.m. if not previously concluded; and No. 54, motion No. 9, Private Members' business to be taken at 5 p.m. with the time allocated for this debate not to exceed two hours.

Tributes to the former Senator Edward Haughey will be heard on the conclusion of the Order of Business.

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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Since last week when the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, was in the House to deal with the debacle relating to the appointment of Mr. McNulty to the board of IMMA so that he could become a Seanad by election candidate, the situation has gotten worse. The Taoiseach said on Thursday last that he did not direct anyone, yet on Friday he said "I wouldn't say it was my finest hour and I take responsibility for this having evolved to what people might imagine it is".
I am sure the Leader will agree that no one has had to use his or her imagination in trying to figure out what has gone on here. People might have had to stretch the bounds of credibility in terms of the actions of the leader of the State but no one has had to use one bit of imagination to figure out just what was going on.
Yesterday we heard the Taoiseach say that he did not apply "normal Fine Gael standards" and he blamed officials in the Fine Gael party headquarters. He actually tried to differentiate between his role as Taoiseach and as leader of Fine Gael. Unfortunately this does not wash because the Taoiseach must also have forgotten his appointment of his neighbour, Darragh Loftus, to the board of SOLAS, as reported in today's Daily Mail. Obviously the same standards applied to that particular appointment. Again, not much imagination is required to figure that out.
The Taoiseach, as far as I am concerned, has still not spelled out his role in this affair. He has tried to exonerate his own office and officials in his Department, blame people in Fine Gael headquarters and shaft the poor innocent party in Donegal who was set to be a Senator but will not now be a Member of this House. We had the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht in the House last week who gave an excellent display in ignoring questions. A litany of questions were put to her by Senators from all sides of the House and she answered none of them. She just blindly read from a script and kept repeating elements of it. Many of the questions posed remain unanswered. Indeed, her half-hearted statement yesterday raises other questions.

The half-hearted statement that she made yesterday raises other questions. When did she receive the request from Fine Gael officials that Mr. McNulty wished to be appointed to the board under her remit? Why did she act with such haste in doing a banking inquiry by extending the number of board members to facilitate party cronies? Who suggested the other appointee, who is from Limerick? Was it party headquarters again or were there other reasons? The Taoiseach is blaming Fine Gael headquarters but I want to know what role his own advisers or officials played in requesting that Mr. McNulty be appointed to the IMMA board. This entire situation is incredible, bizarre and completely unacceptable. It is an affront to the entire arts community, to anybody who ever served in this House and to the Irish people who voted, against the Taoiseach's will, to retain this House. The Taoiseach simply gave it the Harvey Smith by doing what he wanted and using it as a mere tool to facilitate political advancement for some of his own flock.

Rather than answer questions to the media on one hand, or the Dáil on the other, we feel that the most appropriate forum in which the Taoiseach should answer questions is in this House. For that reason, I am proposing an amendment to the Order of Business that the Taoiseach will come to the House today to answer questions on this issue. He has a responsibility to this House, as a democratic institution of the State, and we are entitled to answers.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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The latest development in the John McNulty affair took place subsequent to my contribution on the Order of Business yesterday. It took place during our Order of Business, when the Taoiseach informed the Dáil that Mr. McNulty was requesting that people not vote for him. I put my own concerns about the manner of his appointment on the record last week, when I said it was unfortunate that anything might undermine the reform process of appointments to boards which the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform had initiated. It is essential that we see proper reform and, for that reason, I welcome the announcement yesterday by the Minister of a new and revised model for ministerial appointments to State boards so that for the first time we will see a clear process whereby all appointments to vacancies on boards will be advertised openly on the stateboards.ieportal, which is operated by the independent Public Appointments Service, PAS; vacancies will be managed through a transparent assessment system designed and implemented by the PAS; and Ministers will be supported by the service in making appointments to State boards and required to set out comprehensive criteria for the filling of vacancies.
We are aware this is not a particularly recent phenomenon. Under the previous Fianna Fáil Government there were many instances of stuffing of State boards. All of us want that process brought to an end and to ensure that a clear model is put in place with transparent and objective criteria for appointments to State boards through the PAS system. For this reason, I welcome the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Howlin, and ask the Leader to arrange a debate in due course on the reform agenda he has set out. The Minister will be coming to the House tomorrow to deal with the Freedom of Information Bill 2013, and he has been in the House previously to debate several pieces of legislation. In light of the announcement of the new process and the passage, hopefully tomorrow, of the aforementioned Bill, we should use the opportunity to debate the reform agenda generally. That would perhaps give us a context for the unfortunate issues that have arisen in the past week.
I also ask for a debate on the e-conveyancing model, which will be examined by the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. We have debated this issue previously. It is a useful model to speed up and ensure greater efficiency in the conveyancing system in Ireland. The Law Society and others have put it forward and we will be hearing from them today and putting forward recommendations. I would like the opportunity to debate the issue in this House.

Feargal Quinn (Independent)
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The other day I introduced the topic of motor taxation, motor insurance, NCT testing and the labels we have to stick in the windscreens of our cars, which appear out-of-date and old-fashioned compared to what more modern countries are doing. Interestingly, the British introduced that system today. From midnight last night, drivers are no longer required to put stickers on their windscreens because everything will be registered and read from a distance by the police force there. It appears to be a simple system, although I gather they are having some difficulties with it in Britain. Given that it is capable of being implemented and has been introduced in other countries, however, it is something we should consider here.

I am usually opposed to more regulation and controls. In the case of crowd funding, whereby small businesses can avail of opportunities to secure loans from people with small amounts of money, such as €50 or €100, on which interest is paid, this is a system which has worked very well. I have been involved with one crowd funding operation, Link Financial, and it has done a world of good for a number of SMEs. However, there is a reluctance on the part of the public to get involved because it is not controlled. It is openly unregulated. This is one of the few occasions when I suggest that we should have more regulation rather than less. The idea is to encourage citizens to lend to small businesses and get a reward for doing so. The system has worked very well in America and it is working quite well in Britain. I think it would work well here. The companies that have become involved with the system have been very happy with it. All we need to do is to encourage more to get involved.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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At lunchtime today, the staff at St. Stephen's hospital in Glanmire, which is part of north Cork mental health services, will be staging a one hour protest at the inability or unwillingness of the HSE to fill 15 vacant posts. These posts are over and above the recent announcement of new posts, at a time when services nationally are struggling due to the lack of resources and staff, and are dependent on the use of overtime and agency nurses to fill shifts regularly. It is increasingly difficult to remain uncritical of the manner in which mental health services in this country are run. This entire issue is symptomatic of a lack of leadership at administrative and political levels. I have on several occasions asked the Leader to facilitate a wide ranging debate on mental health policy and I ask again whether he can propose a date on which we can discuss this important issue.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator MacSharry. This is the forum where the vacancy for the Seanad occurred, on the election of our former colleague, Deirdre Clune, to the European Parliament. The issues surrounding Mr. McNulty and the lack of transparency should be debated in this House. The people decided in the referendum held 12 months ago to save the Upper House and the Taoiseach should be reminded that the least he owes us is to come into the House today, if possible, to offer us an explanation. The issue has been widely debated. I have been listening to the news since 7 a.m. about the debates that took place in the Lower House yesterday and apparently today it will be the principal axe to grind for the Opposition.

I ask the Leader to remind the Taoiseach that this House continues to exist. Less than 12 months ago the people decided we should remain in existence. The fact that we need reform is without a shadow of a doubt. It is not good enough that any Taoiseach, past present or future, should appear once during the lifetime of a Government. Perhaps the Taoiseach has been in the House twice but the kernel of the problem is a vacancy in the Upper House. The Taoiseach is obliged, constitutionally, morally and legally, to come before us to give us simple answers on what went wrong. We are not going to crucify him. The last occasion he came to the House he said that he was coming in peace. I am sure he will get a peaceful reception again but we are entitled to ask proper questions.

I listened to Senator Bacik's comments on the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Howlin, regarding transparency and reform in how we make appointments to State boards. That was exactly what Michael Lowry promised 20 years ago. It did not happen. We are in the 43rd month of this Government.

One of the principal objectives of particularly Fine Gael and the Labour Party before the last general election was reform of our political system. Forty-three months on, little if anything has happened. So I believe the Taoiseach should attend the House.

I endorse what Senator Byrne said yesterday about the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland that is imposing a substantial increase in the levy nurses have to pay. While I obviously will not mention the name, I got an e-mail from a nurse, not from the South, who pointed that the 2011 accounts of the board, which were published online, showed that €5 million of its expenditure went on the upkeep of its swanky office in Blackrock, County Dublin, and that the average salary of its staff is more than €71,000. Ordinary nurses working on the front-line had two hits in cuts last year and now they are being hit again by their board. I do not think the board realises the hardship and the hard work of the nurses in front-line services.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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The Senator is way over time.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Leader should raise this with the relevant Minister and get a response because it is a cruel blow on nurses at a time when many young nurses are emigrating.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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Councillors from all parties throughout the country have brought to my attention a further problem with Irish Water. Irish Water is refusing to instruct the local authority as its agent to carry out repairs to housing estates that have not been taken into charge where problems occur with pumping stations with sewerage, etc. My county, Tipperary, has 40 estates that have not been taken in charge. In Carrick-on-Suir, my town, Manor estate has serious problems with sewerage systems. Irish Water will not allow the local authority to address the problem. Many of these estates are owned by developers whose companies have been liquidated and liquidators are dealing with the financial problems. The liquidators are not dealing with the issues the residents are encountering. The local authority is not allowed to deal with it. Irish Water will not instruct the local authority to deal with it. The local councillors are frustrated at the lack of any developments on the issue.

I ask the Leader to contact the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on behalf of all these residents across the country and on behalf of councillors who are totally frustrated with the situation to put a contingency fund into place until these estates are taken in charge which would allow Irish Water to give instructions to the local authority to carry out the repairs that are necessary. The difficulty will only be in the short term because most of these estates will be taken in charge in the next 12 months. Irish Water was very happy to take all the assets from all the local authorities across the country worth billions of euro but it is refusing to deal with the problem I am pointing out now. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to address this matter urgently.

David Norris (Independent)
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There is nothing for any of us to bloat about in the present lamentable situation regarding the Seanad by-election, but there are lessons we can learn. I have been astonished by the position of Labour Members. They have consistently said it was nothing to do with them. I heard the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, say so on the wireless this morning. It has everything to do with them. They are part of a Government. Standards in national political life ought to be part of the Labour Party's responsibility.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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On a point of order, as leader of the Labour group in the Seanad, I never said that. I have been very clear about putting concerns on the record.

David Norris (Independent)
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I accept that, but Senator Bacik's colleagues have been clear that it is nothing to do with the Labour Party.

In addition, the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, appointed his driver to the board of Irish Water. It gets more like-----

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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On a point of order, that is not true.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Norris.

David Norris (Independent)
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I do not know what I said wrong.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Senator said the Minister of State appointed his driver to the board of Irish Water; he did not.

David Norris (Independent)
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Okay. Well he was on the board of Irish Water. I am certainly happy to withdraw that.

The interesting thing is what the driver said. He said, "You tell me one party out there who doesn't look after their own. I don't see anything wrong with it. It's politics". Even if Fine Gael does not see anything wrong with it, I certainly do. Am I the only person in this House or in the media who finds it a national reproach and disgusting that somebody should be elected to our national Parliament in an electorate of a mere 225 votes of political hacks? There is a story to which the media should direct their attention and call for proper genuine reform of Seanad Éireann.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I object to the use of the term "political hacks". People are elected by the electorate in Dáil constituencies and are elected here in the Seanad-----

David Norris (Independent)
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In terms of this by-election they are certainly political hacks.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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-----under the Constitution. This is how the Constitution is structured and I resent the word "hacks" being used in reference to Members of the Oireachtas.

One of the issues that has not been highlighted is that the Taoiseach has appointed 12 people in total to the Seanad, eight of whom were women. He has appointed only two people from the Fine Gael Party out of the 12 people, with three from the Labour Party and seven Independents. That is his record to date on which we have had no discussion in the media. For three days last week we had non-stop commentary on one issue without any reference to the 12 people the Taoiseach appointed previously.

David Norris (Independent)
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It is not a question of him appointing 12 people.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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He did it with a view to abolishing it the following year.

David Norris (Independent)
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How democratic is that?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Burke without interruption.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I did not interfere with Senator Norris, so please-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Burke without interruption.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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This is not the first time this has happened. I wanted to make a comment on this matter.

Eight weeks ago I raised an issue relating to the HSE whereby 1,100 people have been appointed to permanent positions with full salaries without job interview and without it being clarified whether they have the skills for those jobs. They went in to fill temporary positions and under the Haddington Road agreement and the Croke Park agreement their jobs were made permanent and pensionable. That was 1,100 people and here we are talking about one nomination. It must be remembered that the Taoiseach did not appoint John McNulty; he nominated him.

We have now have had no debate on those 1,100 people who have been appointed to key positions in the HSE. As a result of my doing an interview on RTE Radio, I got e-mails highlighting many other Government statutory authorities where jobs were also filled without a job interview. One of the positions filled carried a salary of €90,000. The person filled it in a temporary capacity and has now been made permanent. We should have a debate about hiding behind the recruitment embargo whereby jobs are not properly advertised and people are being put into temporary positions without it being clearly set out that they have the qualifications to fill those positions. It is about time we had a decent debate on that issue. We need good people in our health service even when we already have many good people in it. In future we need to ensure we have the right people in the jobs which are crucial for the development and reform of our health system. The Minister should come into the House to deal with that issue.

Sean Barrett (Independent)
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I draw attention to the headline from an article in the Irish Examinerby Caroline O'Doherty about yesterday's report by Davy Stockbrokers on the housing market which stated, "Property buyers borrow too much yet again". The article stated:

Home-buyers are once again overstretching themselves with outsized mortgages in the fresh frenzy to get on the property ladder. In echoes of the recklessness that preceded the crash, some banks are lending up to 4.5 times combined income when a maximum of three to four times is considered prudent ... [Davy has] called on the Central Bank to intervene to ensure loans do not exceed 80% the value of a property and that lenders carry out proper stress tests.

It is also relevant to freedom of information, which we will discuss tomorrow. The Central Bank of Ireland, at the instigation of the European Central Bank, wants exemption from freedom of information. I tabled an amendment on Committee Stage, which the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, is considering. I cannot think of a sector in the world less deserving of exemption from freedom of information than the Irish banking sector.

David Norris (Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Sean Barrett (Independent)
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Let us not allow it tomorrow afternoon when the Minister comes here. We cannot have the closed approach and secrecy in banking supported by Europe and carried out by the people who have already had one turn at wrecking the country.

David Norris (Independent)
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Well said.

Sean Barrett (Independent)
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On a positive note, I welcome the attendance of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, at the installation of H.E. Mr. Kevin O'Malley as the US ambassador to Ireland, and the resumption of an interest by former US Senator Gary Hart in the peace process. I remind Members that Northern politicians will be here on 7 November when the North-South Inter-Parliamentary Association, NSIPA, meets, which will be an opportunity for Members to make a contribution to the peace process and assist the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, former Senator Hart and H.E. Mr. O'Malley in a very important national undertaking.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I feel a certain sense of déjà vu. I think I am listening to the same speeches from the Opposition that I heard yesterday and last Thursday, and I will probably hear the same speeches tomorrow.

David Norris (Independent)
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Not from me, I was not here yesterday.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator will, unless we get the Taoiseach to attend the House.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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There is a certain amount of amnesia on the other side and it is important to note some of the positives that have come from this unfortunate incident, particularly the announcement yesterday by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, on the manner in which future State board members will be appointed.

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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The Government was forced into it.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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It is a very important development which is most welcome and for which I have called in this House.

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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What about the Labour Party press officer on the Heritage Council?

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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In the long run, State boards will be the better as a result of this debacle. It is disingenuous of Fianna Fáil to throw muck about the appointment of people to State boards. Many of us on this side of the House could point to appointments to State boards made by Fianna Fáil.
As Senator Barrett pointed out, we seem to be in recovery regarding the housing market, as recent fiscal figures demonstrate. Again, I felt a certain sense of déjà vuwhen I heard the statements from the Construction Industry Federation, CIF, on our need to abandon Part V of the Planning and Development Act as soon as possible. The CIF proposes a 1% levy on all property purchases, to which I have no objection in principle as long as it assists people in need of social housing. However, the president of the CIF described Part V as a "boom-time tax". Let us be clear that it was a tax that was not paid. I did an analysis that showed 45,000 extra units would have been built for social and affordable housing had the previous Government enforced Part V. It did not, and as a result we have 26,000 fewer social housing units and I hazard a guess that with 26,000 additional social housing units, we would not be facing the homelessness crisis we do. Sometimes déjà vuis exactly that, same old, same old.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I attended the MacGill Summer School in Glenties this summer where we discussed the political culture in this country and how until it changes there will be no change. If one examines the appointment of Mr. McNulty to the board of IMMA, the appointment of Mr. Quinlivan to the board of Irish Water and subsequently as a driver to a Minister of State, what strikes me is that the people concerned saw nothing wrong with it. There is a mix-up in their understanding of governance, particularly in the situation with Mr. Quinlivan. The culture is rotten. Will the Leader ask each Minister to produce a list of all their board appointments and who recommended each one? I realise there have been different practices and some have been through advertisements, but some have been through recommendations. We need a clean sheet. While I accept what the Minister, Deputy Howlin said, we need an end to this, so let us have it all out and get it over with. I would like the Leader to respond to my request.

Yesterday, I said 10 October will be a test for the Government. Some people have voted for Mr. McNulty even though he has said he does not want people to vote for him and he is withdrawing. If he wins, and the election is declared invalid, and Fine Gael then produces a candidate who can win, it will also look very bad. Yesterday, the Taoiseach said Fine Gael’s behaviour showed we are not worthy of winning the seat. He should remember those words.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I very much welcome yesterday’s Cabinet decision regarding the Public Appointments Service and the advertising of expressions of interest regarding all further appointments, and particularly the announcement that within six weeks the Minister, Deputy Howlin, will present to the Government for approval an overarching set of guidelines for appointments of State boards. These guidelines will set out requirements which will be expected to apply to all State board appointments in terms of the calibre and quality of candidates and broader public policy considerations relating to general equality and other diversity objectives. The McNulty affair is over. We should await this.

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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It is not.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Maybe my understanding of English and the statements by Mr. McNulty, the Taoiseach and others is different to Senator MacSharry's. We can debate these matters, but let us await the Government's approval of the guidelines and then Senators can have more details and, perhaps, more to get their teeth into.

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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We want answers from the Taoiseach.

Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael)
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I support my colleague, Senator Barrett in welcoming the appointment of the new US ambassador, and we look forward to his playing his role in the continued good work being done on the peace process in Northern Ireland. We would all seek to work with him to make progress on the undocumented Irish in America and we will do what we can there. I also back the issue of the nurses' registration fee being raised from €100 to €150, a very serious issue which would be dealt with. I have had contacts from a number of people who work in the nursing profession and it is very serious to increase their registration charge.

Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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I raise an issue I raised a number of weeks ago, namely, the pressure being applied in an unfair and unreasonable manner on Ireland’s corporation tax structures. The final OECD base erosion and profit shifting, BEPS, report is due in September 2015, 11 months from now, and there is a concerted effort internationally between the G20, the OECD and, in the past week, the British Prime Minister. It is important not just to build on the number of jobs being created now but to protect existing jobs. As part of this it would be very helpful if we had a debate on the matter to put some of the facts on the table so people can hear what the position is. We are told the State is doing something illegal, but it is not. Although taxation laws are being met properly to the requirements of several investigations, on every occasion we seem to be the poster boys to be kicked around for some international practices happening within countries.

The “double Irish” is a US taxation issue that can be resolved in the US if it changes its tax code, not something that can be resolved here. The US can deal with the matter, but, for whatever reason, it chooses not to. It is very unfair and unreasonable that Ireland is kicked around every time. It is very important we take the opportunity to have a debate in the Seanad to put the full facts out there so people can hear what is happening. It would also be a major benefit for a number of companies here which are very concerned that there may be movement before September 2015.

If this can be facilitated, it will be the biggest issue we will deal with between now and the budget.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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On Senator MacSharry's point, the Taoiseach raised his hands yesterday and said he got it wrong. I did not hear the Fianna Fáil leader admit he got it wrong by not putting forward a Fianna Fáil candidate for the Seanad election. There were calls for the Taoiseach to come before this House to account for himself. Senator O'Donovan mentioned the Constitution and under the Constitution the Government is responsible to Dáil Éireann, although I hate to point this out. The Taoiseach explained the situation to the other House yesterday and put his hands up, which is not something many former taoisigh have done.

Regarding State boards, the Taoiseach was wrong in this case but I point out to Senator MacSharry that when Fianna Fáil was voted out of office, it stuffed more than 300 people onto State boards before the new Government took office. Fianna Fáil made people chairmen of institutes of technology and various other bodies during the aforementioned interregnum - this should not be forgotten and I will not let the Senators forget.

Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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The lads are very quiet. Have they no response?

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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We are respecting the Leader. What of Fine Gael membership of State boards?

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator Bacik spoke about the revised model of ministerial appointments to State boards and it represents a good day's work. The decision was made by the Government and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, that all vacancies on State boards must be advertised openly on the State boards portal operated by the Public Appointments Service. Candidates must meet specific and detailed criteria determined by the relevant Minister to be necessary for the effective performance of a role. They must also be processed through a transparent assessment system designed and implemented by the independent Public Appointments Service to support the relevant Minister in making appointments to State boards under his or her remit. These requirements will provide a credible, transparent and robust appointments model that will ensure vacancies on State boards are filled by candidates of the high calibre that is required to successfully perform the challenging roles involved. This is what people want and this is what they will get.

Senator Quinn raised a point he made some weeks ago on embracing new technology with regard to tax discs, insurance and so on. He also raised the need for more people to become involved in assisting small business through crowd funding.

Senator Gilroy spoke of the filling of vacancies at a Cork hospital and called for a debate on mental health. I have sought this debate and hope the Minister will accede to the request soon.

Senators O'Donovan and Comiskey raised the issue of fees for nurses and this is something that should be raised with the Irish Nursing Board. I will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister.

Senator Landy spoke of difficulties relating to estates that are not taken over by local authorities and I am sure he will raise this with the Tipperary man who is Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly.

Regarding Senator Norris's points, I addressed yesterday, in reply to Senator Cullinane, the issue of statements made by the driver for the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Paudie Coffey.

Senator Burke spoke of 1,100 people appointed without interview to fill temporary vacancies in the Health Service Executive, HSE, who were then employed on a full-time basis. The recruitment embargo has created difficulties and I agree that it should be debated in this House so I will try to have the Minister come before us to address the matter.

I agree with the comments made by Senator Barrett on the property market and he is correct that banks should assess all current loans. An exemption for the banking sector relating to freedom of information was raised and I am sure this will be discussed when the Freedom of Information Bill is discussed here tomorrow.

Senator Hayden spoke of developers and raised the failure of the Government to enforce Part 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the difficulties this has caused. I note her points and we will ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, to come before the House to address this matter.

Senator Healy Eames raised the voting process for the Seanad election. It will be a secret ballot, as she knows, and I am sure we will all accept the democratic vote that ensues. I look forward to working with the person elected.

Senator Comiskey welcomed the new US ambassador and raised the need for a debate on the issue of undocumented Irish people in America, which was raised in the House yesterday. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, will come before this House in two weeks to speak on Syria, Iraq and the issues he addressed when the Seanad was recalled. I have also asked the Minister to address the issue of undocumented Irish people in America and to speak of his visit to the US. We will have a far-reaching debate on those issues.

Senator Michael D'Arcy called for a debate on the Irish corporation tax regime and it would be apt if that debate was held now, as the issue is under discussion throughout Europe and elsewhere. The Senator knows that in July 2013 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, published its base erosion and profit shifting, BEPS, action plan, which represented a roadmap for work that will be undertaken on this project. BEPS is about tackling mismatches between the tax rules of different countries and aligning taxing rights with substance. Companies should be taxed where their substantive operations are based and this is in line with Ireland's strategy for attracting foreign direct investment, FDI. Ireland has never been and will never be a brass-plate location - we want real foreign direct investment that brings real jobs. BEPS offers more opportunities than risks for Ireland because, at 12.5%, Ireland has the lowest general corporate tax rate in the OECD. Corporate tax rates are a matter of national sovereignty and this Government is committed to maintaining this.

Ireland's competitive corporate tax rate, the availability of skilled workers and its reputation for business friendliness are huge advantages that other countries will struggle to match. As international tax loopholes are progressively closed, our low general corporation tax will become even more attractive. As we continue to improve our attractiveness in terms of knowledge-based investment, research and development and intellectual property, we can grow our share of FDI-related investment and the potential for thousands of additional jobs. I will ask the Minister for Finance to come before the House as soon as possible for a debate on the Irish corporate tax regime.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Marc MacSharry has moved an amendment to the Order of Business: “That the debate with the Taoiseach on the appointment of Mr. John McNulty to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?

Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)
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Yes.