Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on the participation by Irish Defence Forces personnel in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) mission on the Golan Heights, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to conclude no later than 1.45 p.m., with contributions from all Senators not to exceed five minutes; No. 2, Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 - Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at 3 p.m. and to be adjourned no later than 5 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 55, 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.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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One point of clarification on No. 1: is it Senators or spokespersons?

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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It is spokespersons.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Everyone will agree that we are very proud of our Defence Forces and the force reserve company that has returned from a difficult mission in the Golan Heights. I am delighted that they have all returned safely. I commend the men and women of the reserve company on their bravery during their tour of duty over the past six months. While there will be only a short debate or statements, it is important that this be recognised. This is only one example, by the way, of how our Defence Forces and front-line services, including the Garda, have performed on United Nations peacekeeping duty in recent decades. This should focus the Government's mind on supporting our Defence Forces as much as possible. I welcome them back and I am glad everyone has returned safely. On behalf of my group, I commend them all on the bravery they showed during the tour of duty.

Several weeks ago we debated at length the State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014. I reminded colleagues at the time that it was the first time any Government had moved to legislate for a private pension scheme, namely, the Irish Aviation Superannuation Scheme. I imagine all Members have received detailed correspondence from retired members of the scheme, whose group, the Retired Aviation Staff Association, does a fantastic job in representing them, as well as the deferred pensioners group. On the basis of what the Government has passed in the Parliament, they will have a loss to their potential pensions of between 48% and 55%.

I am keen to correct the record of the House. In fairness, the Tánaiste, Deputy Joan Burton, and many of the Government Senators on the other side of the House have been corresponding with people who got in contact with them about their livelihoods, their quality of life and the fact that their pensions are going to be halved under the Government's proposals. The Tánaiste and the Government are putting out the message that the expert panel engaged extensively, in particular, with the deferred members group, which comprises 5,000 people and their families. It did not. The expert panel set up by the Government did not engage extensively in any way, particularly in respect of the deferred pensioners. I know Senator Bacik has responded in a recent e-mail to Mr. John Murphy in this regard. She sent on a detailed response. I acknowledge the fact that Senator Bacik responded to him, but I call on her to go back and check the facts. That is not particularly a point against Senator Bacik but rather against the Government.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport will have to sign two commencement orders to tear asunder the scheme and these people's promised pension benefits. These people have worked for 35 or 36 years and had been expecting pensions. They paid into the scheme on a compulsory basis. On the basis of these proposals they will now have their pensions reduced by 50%. If that were to happen in this House there would be a furore. People would go crazy about any idea involving such massive reductions in pensions. We debated the matter at length at the time.

I call on the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection at this late stage to consider bringing forward amendments to reduce the level of reduction for deferred and retired members. Let us not forget that many of the retired members have no ability to earn additional pay. Many of these individuals are in their late 60s, 70s or 80s and have paid into this scheme for years. This is not a solution. Over the years and under successive Governments the scheme was used as a vehicle and an incentive for people to retire early. It is proven now that the scheme could not afford to take the hit it has taken. People have paid into the scheme for 30 or 35 years. This is the first time the Government has legislated to reduce benefits in a private pension scheme. In this regard, we need to know what the Tánaiste and the Government are doing.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection should come to the House for one hour to explain whether she is open to or will move further amendments to the scheme under the social welfare Bill to reduce the savage level of reductions proposed by the Government. It is only reasonable that the Tánaiste come to the House and correct the record in respect of what her officials are telling her party members.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, you are way over time.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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I am formally proposing an amendment to the Order of Business this morning.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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I thank the Leader for arranging the debate today on the participation by Irish Defence Forces personnel in the UNDOF mission on the Golan Heights. I am pleased that we will have the Minister in the House. I have just come from a meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, at which the Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, briefed members on the participation of Irish Defence Forces personnel in the Golan Heights mission. I wish to add my voice to the voices of others in commending those in the Irish forces, who only returned late last night from their six-month tour of duty, who were responsible for extremely brave and heroic actions in August. They assisted in the safe extraction of 58 members of the Philippine battalion who had been attacked by rebels and, on 30 August, they extracted 35 Filipino troops from a position surrounded by rebels. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, went into considerable detail with the committee on the circumstances of the rescue of the Filipino troops. All of us should commend the 44th Battalion, which was involved in those rescues. Moreover, we should all send our best wishes to the members of the 46th Infantry group who were sent out at 6.30 a.m. yesterday morning for a further six-month tour of duty following a review of the mission by the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and at UN level. There is major concern about the escalation of tensions in the area.

We had a good debate last night on the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill. In the course of the debate we discussed briefly the situation in Syria, particularly the appalling circumstances of the siege of the town of Kobani, which, it appears, may fall to the rebels from ISIS, or the Islamic State group. We spoke about the barbarism and brutality of the people in that group and the need for those of us in Europe to ensure we take steps to prevent the recruitment of foreign fighters by these groups in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. I thank the Leader for arranging that debate.

I call on the Leader to arrange a debate in future on an Amnesty International report published today - I attended the launch earlier - on economic, social and cultural rights. The report, Bringing ESC Rights Home, examines at how economic, social and cultural, ESC, rights and obligations may be applied to budgetary policy and recommends that the Government establish a minimum level of protection for all ESC rights. We had a good debate on ESC rights at the Constitutional Convention. On foot of that debate there was a strong majority recommendation from the convention that the Government should give constitutional protection to ESC rights. The report from Amnesty International is part of a process of seeking to ensure greater protection for these rights.

In advance of next week's budget the ESRI has also recommended that we should see investment by the Government in social housing, given the strong growth figures for this year and predicted for next year. I ask the Leader that we might have a debate broadly on ESC rights, on the Amnesty report, and indeed on the report of the Constitutional Convention.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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I spent last night reading Mr. Honohan's report from the Central Bank on the 20% to be imposed in terms of loan-to-value and loan-to-income requirements and I think it is a great example of obfuscation. It is endemic and extraordinary because nowhere in the document, which all Members should read, does it actually state that the banks are at fault. We are all at fault but they are not necessarily at fault. There is reference to "too lax mortgage credit standards" when there were in fact no mortgage level standards in the banks. We allegedly destabilised the economy, when the banks did it singlehandedly. They drove up the profits. Every sale they made generated commission. They did not know their jobs, they did not know the internal workings of their jobs, they did not know the ethics of their jobs, or the morality of their jobs. They had no competence, they had no ability, and now they are trying to blame us, as if we are the only people in the business.

The banks were inextricably linked to the housing market. They created it, it was their baby. Some of them are still in the job, still doing the same thing. What have they learned? They have learned nothing. This question is raised in the document, but it is not answered. They are still driving up the prices, they are still driving up the interest rates and they are still crucifying Mr. Ordinary. As someone from Fianna Fáil mentioned yesterday, we do not even have a human being to talk to when we go in the door of the bank. They talked about loan-to-value and loan-to-income ratios but my question is where Mr. Ordinary will get 20% of the value of the property. It is not the deposit that crucifies people, it is the interest rates that do so. People are incapable of paying them back. Mr. Honohan says that the loans issued near the peak of the cycle led to large numbers of borrowers in negative equity once housing prices turned, which is a well-documented cause of mortgage defaults. Here is my documented cause - the banks lent money like circus clowns and they made commission on every single penny they lent. That is why we had a housing bubble. I would also like to ask Mr. Honohan why he did not do this in any other year since 2008.

Before I finish, let me get to the best example of banking alliteration in the document, on page 30. It reads: "The loosening of lending standards played a large part in fuelling the Irish property boom." That is what Mr. Honohan calls it. Here is my better example of alliteration - "gross greed and no banking governance". Banks constitute the most incompetent, the most immoral and the most powerfully useless institutions in the country. I despair that I have to go into them because I have nobody to speak to, but I must go in because my salary is paid through the banking system as I cannot get it in cash. We need serious debate in the Seanad about the Irish banking system and the obfuscation that goes on in documents like this, blaming the Irish people, who are just the butt of their incompetence. I call on the Minister for Finance to come in here and explain this extraordinary, endemic obfuscation of the real reasons behind the economic collapse. If one cannot tell oneself the real reason for the problem, then one will never learn what the real reason for the problem is, which is the banks' greed, greed and more greed.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Is Senator O'Donnell proposing an amendment to the Order of Business?

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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Yes. Will somebody second it?

Mary White (Fianna Fail)
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I will.

David Norris (Independent)
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I will.

David Norris (Independent)
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Seconded. I raise the illegal banking activities of the Bank of Ireland regarding Irish citizens and groups composed of Irish citizens. Reports appeared in early June in the newspapers that the Bank of Ireland was closing down all Cuban-associated accounts. The Cuba Support Group, which is known to many Members, a very responsible and respectable group, contacted its bank and was reassured that nothing was happening. Then on 11 July it received a letter saying that all its accounts were being closed. It got a second letter on 14 July giving it two days' notice of the closure. I find this quite extraordinary. It seems to be an off-shoot of the Helms-Burton Act, to which this country responded by introducing legislation of our own, ensuring that these conditions would not be employed in Irish banking. On 22 September, the Cuba Support Group called the Bank of Ireland in Swords and left a message on the voicemail and received a call from Mr. Kenny Morgan, the manager of the Swords branch, to say that he was sorry, but the decision to close the account had been taken in the US parent office and could not be changed.

I ask the Leader, as a matter of urgency and of grave concern, to ask the Minister whether it is in accordance with Irish law that a wholly Irish NGO, operating in Ireland and funded by a membership entirely located within the Republic of Ireland, namely the Cuba Support Group, can have its banking service terminated at short notice because of the decision of an American company which Bank of Ireland is using to process financial transactions. If an Irish bank refuses to provide banking services to the Cuba Support Group as a result of US banking regulations administered by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, will the Minister with responsibility for trade act to prosecute them in accordance with Irish and European law, prohibiting the extra-territorial application of US law in the illegal US blockade of Cuba? I emphasise that there is a European position to resist this colonialist attempt to intervene in Irish banking practice for purely political purposes of the United States of America and against the interest of citizens, banks and groups in this country. What emergency facilities will the Minister for Finance make available to allow the Cuba Support Group to operate a functioning Irish bank account with cheque-clearing and electronic transfer facilities while his colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, undertakes prosecutions?

This is an entirely Irish-owned and operated membership organisation affected by some group in the United States because of the operation of the Helms-Burton Act. It is plainly illegal and the Irish authorities should act against this. It is an attempt to close down a group that is critical of American foreign policy in a way that many of us who are friends of America are also critical. They have already closed down the group's PayPal account. They cannot get new members through PayPal because America has decided they cannot do so in this country. Are we a colony?

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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Like others, I would like the Minister for Finance to come to the Seanad for a debate on banking, but I appreciate that the budget is next Tuesday and that he is probably going to be tied up preparing what is a very important budget for our economic recovery. Post-budget, when he comes in to address the House on budgetary issues, I would like the Leader to make the Minister aware that this House has enormous concerns over banking. I witnessed in a branch of Bank of Ireland in Clare recently an 86-year-old man going up to the counter to carry out a transaction and being told he would have to go to a machine, although they would assist him with this. The man was confused and upset. He certainly felt that this Government had turned its back on him, given that it bailed out the banks. Unfortunately trying to explain the dynamics of banking to someone of that age when they are not too happy is not easy.

Similarly, customer service, whether in banking or elsewhere, is extremely important. I have had a number of complaints, as, I am sure, other colleagues have, to my constituency office concerning Irish Water and the length of time people spend on the phone trying to get through to Irish Water. I realise that Irish Water is a national utility which is in its incubation period but at the same time people are now paying for water. They therefore expect that when they make a call, this should be answered and that they should not have to spend money waiting 15 minutes on the phone. I ask the Leader to process a request to Irish Water that they establish a call-back service, whereby when someone is on the phone for a few minutes they will have the option to leave their number so that Irish Water will ring them back.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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That is one step that would facilitate improved customer service at Irish Water and I would like the Leader to communicate that to the chief executive of Irish Water.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I seek leave to introduce No. 11 - the Immigration Reform for US Citizens Living in Ireland Bill. Many of those affected are unable to remain in Ireland because of our immigration system.

While we have 50,000 undocumented Irish living in the United States, -----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Is the Senator proposing an amendment to the Order of Business?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Yes, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Immigration Reform for U.S. Citizens Living in Ireland Bill be taken in the House, in light of the fact that such citizens find it so difficult to remain here despite the enormous contribution they make. The irony is that we seek to have the situation regarding the 50,000 undocumented Irish living in the United regularised, but when it comes to U.S. citizens in similar situations who wish to remain here, we do not facilitate a system allowing them to do so.

Yesterday, we spoke here about the trials and travails within Fine Gael. I am aware Senator Paul Coghlan would have been at the Fine Gael breakfast this morning - I hope he enjoyed it - which was attended by the British ambassador. This breakfast was a fund-raiser event. Will the Leader clarify the situation regarding this, because -----

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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After all, it is a west British party.

Mary White (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

David Norris (Independent)
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Will somebody wake me up when this is all over?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Were the Standards in Public Office Commission or the British Embassy aware this breakfast was a fund-raiser event? It is appropriate that ambassadors are invited, by all political parties, to attend events, but not to fund-raisers. We are all aware of the difficulties in regard to politics and fund-raisers -----

David Norris (Independent)
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The Senator sounds anti-British.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator may speak for himself.

David Norris (Independent)
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I am listening to the Senator.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Has Senator Daly a question for the Leader?

David Norris (Independent)
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Unremitting hatred for the English.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Please allow Senator Daly to make his contribution, without interruption.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Will the Chair please ask Senator Norris to refrain?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Has Senator Daly a question for the Leader?

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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He is telling you what to do.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I ask for Senator Norris to withdraw the statement.

David Norris (Independent)
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I will not.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I did not hear what he said. Has Senator Daly a question for the Leader?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Chair to ask Senator Norris to withdraw the statement.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I did not hear what he said.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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He called him anti-British and should withdraw that.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Cathaoirleach to instruct the Senator to withdraw the statement.

David Norris (Independent)
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I will not. It is as simple as that.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I did not hear what the Senator had to say, so cannot comment on it. Has Senator Daly a question for the Leader?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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It is unfortunate that the Senator is not concerned about the issue of fundraising within political parties and that the British ambassador appears to have been misled in regard to that issue and was unaware the breakfast was a fund-raiser event. I have attended many events with the British ambassador in regard to the decade of commemorations and ask the Leader to clarify the situation. Was he informed that the breakfast was a fund-raiser event?

David Norris (Independent)
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I understand he was a speaker at the event.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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That is right.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I understand the embassy was not informed.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I ask the Senator to resume his seat.

David Norris (Independent)
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Does Senator Daly think the British ambassador should be muzzled?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I ask Senator Norris to show some courtesy to the House and to resume his seat. I call Senator Hayden.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Sorry to interrupt Cathaoirleach, but I ask for Senator Norris to withdraw his last comment.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I did not hear it. With all the interruptions going on in the House, I did not hear what he had to say. I call Senator Hayden.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Senator to withdraw his comment.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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On a point of order, it is difficult for us on this side to hear that side of the House. We could not hear the Senator's argument. I am not being smart about this. We could not hear the argument.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Please, can we hear Senator Hayden, without interruption?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I will accept that, but perhaps when the Chair has a chance to look at the record he can -----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I ask Senator Norris to resume his seat.

David Norris (Independent)
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On a point of order, I would like to let the House know that the report in the newspapers stated the British ambassador would be the guest speaker at a lucrative Fine Gael fund-raiser this morning, but the Fine Gael Party did not tell ambassador Dominick Chilcott that the business breakfast was a fund-raiser when he was invited. End of story.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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That is not a point of order. The Senator is completely out of order.

David Norris (Independent)
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I beg the Chair's pardon.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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That is exactly the point I was making - that the ambassador was unaware it was a fund-raiser. I asked the Leader to clarify the situation.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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We are not here to discuss a morning breakfast or whatever.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I am sure the British ambassador will respond, so let us stop making a song and dance out of this and get on with the business of the House.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Daly should resume his seat.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Thank you. I second the amendment proposed by the Fianna Fáil leader on the Order of Business and thank Senator Norris for reiterating my comment.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senators are using up their time on the Order of Business, because I am calling time after 55 minutes today.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I have no comment to make about who does or does not attend a breakfast for any reason, but I would point out that it is thanks to the Government that we have robust legislation on political donations and their declaration and that we have openness and transparency in political life.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Like the appointment to IMMA.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Has the Senator a question for the Leader?

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Did the Senator vote for Mr. McNulty? She probably did, like all the Labour Party members who walk through the lobbies and do what their Fine Gael masters tell them to do.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Please allow Senator Hayden to contribute, without interruption.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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I bet she did, no doubt about it. I hope she walks him into the House -----

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I wish to respond to some of the comments made by Senator O'Donnell in regard to the Governor of the Central Bank and the mortgage market. I agree with her that we need a robust debate on the banking sector and I have called for that on a number of occasions. We cannot go back to the way things were. There is no alternative now for people on low incomes such as there was back in the 1970s and 1980s. The mutual societies are gone. The Industrial Credit Corporation, the Agricultural Credit Corporation, the EBS and all of those organisations where people on lower level incomes could borrow are gone. We are now left with the two or three banks that run banking and must wake up and deal with that reality.

In the context of the ESRI's latest economic commentary, it is gratifying to see that not only -----

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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On a point of order, is the Senator suggesting that we are not allowed to challenge the two great pillar banks? I am surprised at that.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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That is not a point of order.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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No. I said the opposite.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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She said we must live with this reality.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator O'Donnell cannot abuse the facility to make a point of order in the House.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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My apologies.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Has Senator Hayden a question for the Leader?

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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Yes, I do. I said the exact opposite.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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No, the Senator did not.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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I said that we need a debate on banking because we do not have alternatives any more.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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That does not mean we cannot challenge the arrangements.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Allow Senator Hayden to speak, through the Chair please.

Aideen Hayden (Labour)
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We have no alternatives and therefore the only thing we can do is challenge the main lending institutions. They are the only game in town and, therefore, we must challenge whatever they say robustly.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I think Senator Healy Eames raised her hand before I did, but I will not look a gift horse in the mouth.
As the House may be aware, this is palliative care week. This is an all-island event and the first of its kind. It is being co-ordinated by the All Ireland Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care and its objective is to increase public awareness of palliative care and greater understanding of when it can be applied. This is a noble initiative that deserves our recognition and admiration, because it promotes a model of care for those suffering from serious illness in a way that respects their human dignity and strives to ensure they achieve the best possible quality of life.
It is worth remembering that the palliative care approach is beneficial for anybody with an incurable illness, regardless of age and including babies that are born with such serious difficulties that they are unlikely to survive. Perinatal hospice care allows parents and baby to make the best of their often brief time together and provides many treasured memories. Support groups like One Day More, which is made up of parents who received poor prenatal prognoses for their babies, agree that this type of care offers the best way forward when coping with such shocking news. It is the only type of care that respects the intrinsic value of the lives of these babies and recognises their worth is not dependent on the quality or length of their time on this earth.
I am not finding fault with the Leader in regard to what we asked for last year but which never happened, but I believe there was a commitment to have a debate on perinatal hospices and the need to extend perinatal hospice care here. We live in an age dominated by the ideology of choice. In recent weeks I have found it distressing to see elements in the media seek with brutal intent to create a wedge to see abortion legalised in those tragic situations of babies that have a short life prognosis or who are doomed to die shortly after birth. This particular media agenda is wrong, tragic and inhumane.
We can counter this agenda by promoting the cause of perinatal hospice units. Such services are only provided on an ad hocbasis in certain hospitals and there are no officially designated care units.

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

David Norris (Independent)
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What about the mothers?

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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These units are for families, for mothers and their babies. Can we hear from the Minister for Health on this and is it possible we can get a commitment there will be provision for perinatal hospice services in the budget?

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I was intrigued by Senator Daly's reference to fundraising. Perhaps he might outline to the House his involvement-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, do you have a question for the Leader?

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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-----in fundraising in the United States. There is a question he needs to answer.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, do you have a question for the Leader? We are not discussing fundraising issues.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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We should take note that the British Government is supporting the fundraising of Fine Gael. Why would it do that?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Walsh, you have indicated that you wish to speak.

Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise the issue of long-term planning. All the evidence suggests that there is a major turn in the economy and that growth rates will vary from 4.5% to 6.1% over the next 12 months, which is very welcome. Long-term planning is an issue we need to address seriously. The media have not commented in recent times on those between 20 and 30 years of age. In the past five years the number of people in that age group has decreased from 755,000 to 549,000. At the same time, the category of those aged over 65 years has increased from 535,000 to 585,000. A growing number of people are retired. We need to talk about long-term planning in regard to our younger and older populations. We need to have a debate on the type of country we want to have in the next ten or 20 years. At the moment we are discussing day-to-day planning, but we need to discuss long-term planning. We have not had a debate in the House on that issue, and particularly on how we can accommodate the numbers leaving and coming into the country. The numbers will increase. I ask the Leader for a debate on that matter.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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I have called for a debate on Irish Water and the Commission for Energy Regulation's water services plan twice over the past two weeks. I have asked for the Minister of State, Paudie Coffey, to come to the House to discuss these issues. The former Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Fergus O'Dowd, stated: "Irish Water has come across as arrogant and uncaring, demanding money and demanding PPS numbers without properly explaining why all of this is necessary." He said it was "another cosseted quango with a bonus culture". Deputy O'Dowd, who set up Irish Water, and is now on the record as saying that it has become a complete disaster. It is a pity the same Minister of State did not listen to those on this side of the House when we spent 16 or 17 hours discussing the Water Services Bill. Almost all of the concerns raised by those on this side of the House have now come to pass. They were dismissed by the former Minister of State and the Government parties at the time, who voted in favour of the Bill.

Irish Water has become tainted by cronyism and a bonus culture. It is a complete waste of taxpayers' money. Huge amounts of money were spent on consultants. We now see that Irish Water is telling people, especially those who have no more money to give, that if they cannot pay their water charges they will be deprived of adequate water through a reduction in supply. Is that what we have come to as a society? People who cannot afford to pay water charges will be bullied and will have their water supply reduced. The Government is putting people in an awful situation. I challenged the Leader last week and he did not answer the question. Some families cannot afford to pay their mortgages, have empty oil tanks which they cannot afford to fill or cannot afford to put food on the table. What advice would he give to those people when the water bills arrive on 1 January?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, you are way over time.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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I am putting forward an amendment to the Order of Business today. I ask the Minister of State to come before the House and I invite the former Minister of State to come to the Gallery-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, are you proposing an amendment to the Order of Business?

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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-----and listen to the debate.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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You are eating into your colleagues' time.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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I propose an amendment to the Order of Business. I call on the Minister of State with responsibility for Irish Water to come before the House today.

Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I strongly agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator Conway regarding customer service. Every successful business guru would say the key to the success of any business operation is good customer service. Every small business in the country knows it must look after its customers if it is to survive. Yet when any of us try to interact with some of the main service providers in the country, including the banks, Eircom, Irish Water and Electric Ireland, it is an endurance test to try to log a query or get information by telephone. We need a debate in the House on how the various State agencies and utility providers deal with their customers.

In the 2011 budget the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, introduced an innovative measure in the form of a VAT reduction to 9% for the hospitality sector. This move created in the region of 34,000 jobs and gave a very welcome stimulus to the economy generally. The recent tourism strategy announced by the Government is designed to create an additional 50,000 jobs over the next decade. It is important, therefore, to have a debate in the House with the Minister for Finance or a Minister of State with responsibility for finance to determine how effective the measure was and how well the hospitality sector has kept its end of the bargain. There is a perception that while the Government honoured its commitment, not all businesses in the hospitality sector lowered their prices to reflect the VAT reduction.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, you are over time.

Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I would like that discussion to take place at some stage after the budget. The hospitality sector is making a very strong case for the retention of the 9% rate, which I support, but I want to ensure we are getting the return from the sector to match the commitment made by Government.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator O'Brien.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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It was already seconded by Senator Daly.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I share the commendation given by the Leader of the Opposition to the Defence Forces, which acquitted itself very well, as it has in the past, in the Golan Heights region, where it was holding peace between the Syrians and the Israelis. It was in a very difficult position and handled itself extremely well. It is a very well organised and trained army. I visited Bosnia-Herzegovina with members of the Defence Forces on an election mission during which they were doing civilian work. Their knowledge and training were exemplary, and equal to that of any army. It is a very disciplined force. We all wish it well. It was a great homecoming. I am delighted the Minister for Defence went to meet those returning at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel. It is a good recognition of their position.

The situation in the region is extremely fraught, particularly in the Kurdish town of Kobani, which is now under siege by ISIS. Turkey is standing idly by in this regard, but it should provide support for the Kurdish people to prevent ISIS from taking over Kobani. ISIS will eventually move into Turkey. It is the most serious threat in the region. I spoke to a member of the Kurdish community who addressed a meeting of the Council of Europe last week. He explained how they were let down by the Turkish Government. Kurds are being refused re-entry to Kobani to defend themselves against ISIS. Our Minister should become active in this regard. The situation is fraught and very serious, and it is very important that we as a State play a part.

I agree with the analysis of Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell. The Governor of the Central Bank has decided that next January anyone who wants to buy a house must have a deposit of 20%. This gives an advantage to those who have houses to sell now.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator, you are over time.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I am asking-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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You are eating into your colleagues' time.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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That is fine. I am sure they will understand.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I am not so sure that they will appreciate it.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Finance to come before the House to discuss the issues raised by Senator O'Donnell and me.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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On a point of order-----

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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You are abusing the point. You are not going to raise a point of order.

Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise the positive news that joblessness has fallen by nearly 10% in Galway City and county over the past 12 months. The national trend is similar, with another decrease indicated in the recent CSO figures, bringing the unemployment rate to 11.1% from a high of over 15% when the Government came into office.

By my reckoning, the national decrease in August was the largest monthly decrease since the recession began. However, there are still far too many people out of work and, as we have heard indicated, the forthcoming budget will aim to create and sustain more jobs over the next 12 months. The simple fact is that the more people return to employment, the more revenue the State takes in and the more services it can provide. Perhaps the Leader might ask the Minister for Finance to come to the House after the budget to discuss the economy generally.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I support the call for Irish Water to come in given the major disconnect between the people and the Government on their understanding of the company. I was canvassing in Dublin South West last night where that message was given clearly.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Who was the Senator canvassing for?

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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It was for Independent candidate, Ronan McMahon.

Mary White (Fianna Fail)
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A former Fine Gael man.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to call on the Minister for Education and Skills to attend the House to discuss the increasing cost of third level education and its growing unaffordability. Today, the students of Ireland are marching on the Dáil to talk about the impact this is having on their lives. I have just heard that my son is among them. I feel I should be marching on the Dáil as a parent on foot of the cost of third level education. There is a €3,000 student registration fee and many of our kids are dropping out because they are making poor choices. There is a repeat tuition fee where a student made a poor choice the first time around, which costs upwards of €3,000. That is before the student gets money for bus fares, accommodation, a cup of coffee and food.

Let us call a spade a spade. Education is meant to be a right, not a privilege. Third level education provides us with our edge as a nation and it is critical to keep students in college. Students are dropping out for two reasons - poor choices at second level due to the lack of appropriate career guidance and because they cannot afford to stay. Parents feel it. We must make decisions as a nation. We have a budget next week in respect of which I really hope the Minister takes this matter into account when looking at maintenance grants and the very hefty student registration fee. I look forward to hearing from the Leader in respect of my proposal to amend the Order of Business.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I assure Senator Daly that I enjoyed my breakfast this morning. However, it was conduct unbecoming of the Senator to refer to His Excellency, Ambassador Chilcott in that manner. As far as he was concerned, he was attending a business breakfast.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Is this relevant to the Order of Business?

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I would like to explain this.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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Was he aware he was attending a fundraiser?

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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He was following in a long line of distinguished speakers which has included Commissioners and major figures.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I have ruled on this already.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Were they all aware that it was a Fine Gael fundraiser?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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This is not relevant to the Order of Business.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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I would like it to be said that the fundraising aspect was totally incidental.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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On him being made aware that it was a fundraiser, did he withdraw?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Daly must resume his seat.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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As far as he was concerned------

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I know all about Senator Coghlan's special relations with the ambassador.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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Senator Daly made his speech.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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When he was made aware that it was a fundraiser, did he withdraw? If not, why not?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Daly, please. Resume your seat.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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It was post the Scottish referendum and in advance of a general election and the UK Government's position.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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That is not relevant to the Order of Business.

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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These were very important, topical matters. I hope his speech gains as much coverage.

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

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
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The Leader will agree with me. I ask him to.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I support Senator Daly's request to amend the Order of Business to take No. 11 on the undocumented Irish today. I rise primarily to express my concern at the decision by the Central Bank to introduce the 20% deposit rule. While it probably has some merit, its effect can be highlighted if I read an excerpt from an e-mail a lady sent me this morning. It shows that many people are concerned. The policy appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to a situation which concerns Dublin, which has approximately 25% of the population. This lady says:

After many months saving - even moving home to our parents - my husband and I wake up this morning to find the 10% deposit we have struggled to save will not be sufficient to buy our home. We have just paid a booking deposit on a house which is not ready until January and may not now be able to draw down the mortgage which has been given to us. Rules laid down by the Central Bank are implemented that very same month. I am pregnant with our first child due in two weeks' time and will now be forced to go back out to the also overheated rental market with no home security, a new baby and very little hope of saving 20% of a deposit at any time in the near future.

David Norris (Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I do not know who this lady is but she is in the Dublin area, which is all I will say. Her e-mail is typical of thousands of people in that situation.

David Norris (Independent)
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Absolutely.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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We should have a debate on this issue. I ask that the Minister for Finance attends. I support what Senator Mary Louise O'Donnell said earlier, although, unfortunately, I missed some of it. We need an urgent debate because while this type of situation might have some effect in Dublin, in parts of the constituency I represent and in the west, houses are still being sold at less than the cost of building them. We must be very careful to avoid in an effort to reverse the problems of the 100% mortgage, which was a ludicrous idea, doing more harm than good. We should stand together and ensure that this is debated fully before it is implemented in January.

David Norris (Independent)
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I have a point of order. I did not interrupt Senator O'Donovan as I agreed with what he was saying, but when he refers to his constituency, the Chair should remind him that it is the agricultural panel.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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That is not a point of order.

David Norris (Independent)
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It is.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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It is not.

Tom Shehan (Fine Gael)
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I rise this morning to raise an issue that is coming down the track and which could cause serious problems, that is our immigration policy on which a debate is warranted in the very near future. Statistics from the Department of Finance and elsewhere show that the country is on an upward swing. There is an old saying that a rising tide lifts all boats. I hope that on foot of the improvement in our financial circumstances our people will come home from Australia, America, Canada and other places and benefit. I am fearful, however, that there is nothing in place to prevent 40,000 or 50,000 of our European neighbours coming to the country to benefit from this upward trajectory in our financial status. European law is what must be tackled in this regard as there is nothing to stop these immigrants arriving at any time. We need control and even to be selfish to bring back our own people from far-flung places.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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Is the Senator saying it is okay for people to go to America and Canada?

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Sheahan, without interruption.

Tom Shehan (Fine Gael)
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We do not have the capacity in our education system, health system and housing supply. I urge the Leader to arrange a debate as soon as possible. Perhaps my thought structure or approach is simplistic, but a certain reservation is needed in this area which calls for a debate.

Mary White (Fianna Fail)
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Last week, I put the spotlight on the failure of the Government to extend free breast checks to women aged over 64 years and highlighted the fact that women are at a higher risk between the ages of 55 and 75. It gives me great pleasure that in response Councillor Martina Kinane of Clarinbridge, County Galway, has requested all sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, friends and neighbours of women over the age of 65 to make contact with the office of the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, in the next few days by way of e-mail or letter to urge him to put a stop to this discrimination against women. This life-saving programme was promised for women and the Minister must make good on his Government's commitment by securing funding in next week's budget to provide for its roll-out.

Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise the matter of motor taxation prior to next week’s budget announcement. An unfair anomaly has appeared during the years and now there is an opportunity to remove it. To my surprise, I have been informed that 60% of people tax their car every three months. For those who choose to tax their car for three months rather than half yearly or for the year, there is an additional fee. It costs more to tax one’s car every quarter rather than annually. As it looks like there is some leeway in the forthcoming budget, the opportunity should be taken to correct this anomaly. Those who tax their car every quarter are most likely to be struggling. Their car is not a luxury item but a tool of employment in commuting to work. The same fee for taxing one’s car should apply to quarterly, half yearly and annual options. This should be put to the Minister for Finance.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator David Cullinane.

Picking up on the Irish Water issue, there is no doubt that the new European Commissioner, Mr. Phil Hogan, left a legacy of disasters in his wake, with septic tanks, water charges, etc. Another legacy he left behind was the reorganisation of local government and, in particular, the way local development companies were treated. A haphazard approach is being taken by local authorities to their local development companies. In some counties responsibility for the delivery of all programmes will be put in the hands of one company. For example, in Galway one company will deliver local development programmes such as Leader and SICAP, social inclusion and community activation programme, in a vast area from Portumna to Cleggan, whereas in other counties of similar size such as Mayo and Donegal several companies will deliver the programmes. This random approach to the delivery of programmes will be another unmitigated disaster. We raised these issues when the Local Government Act 2014 was being put through. It is time for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, to call a halt to what is happening and rethink the approach because it will not work. Will the Minister attend the House to discuss the matter? The decisions by the local community development committees in county councils are being taken by a handful of individuals. Out of a committee of 15, for example, in Galway, only five were allowed to sit in on the decision because of so-called conflicts of interest involving the ten other members who were involved in local development in their areas. It does not make sense that people with that expertise were kept out of a debate and making a decision when the whole idea in having them on the committees was to enable them to bring their expertise to bear.

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I support Senator Hildegarde Naughton in highlighting the recent positive unemployment figures. Additionally, the ESRI has claimed that the economy will grow by 5% both this year and next. It has called for a neutral budget. These are phenomenal growth figures and Ireland is bucking the trend internationally and among our European neighbours. This makes it all the more significant. As a result of this strong growth, the ESRI has stated the budget deficit will fall to just over 2% next year with a neutral budget. A fiscally neutral budget is described by the ESRI as the optimum policy on next week’s budget. In its latest economic commentary the institute states that as growth picked up by much more than expected earlier in the year, a large budget adjustment is no longer needed to meet deficit targets. It has forecast GNP, gross national product, and GDP, gross domestic product, growth of around 5% this year and next and stated the level of unemployment could fall to just over 9.5% next year. It is a very difficult environment in which to get any attention for positive news and statistics, with the media’s constant obsession with more trivial and negative issues, but it is important to highlight such economic news.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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We have democracy in action in the forthcoming Seanad by-election.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I second Senator Fidelma Healy Eames’s proposed amendment to the Order of Business.

Last week I raised the issue of RTE closing down its 252 long wave, LW, radio transmission to the detriment of the Diaspora. I promised then that I would continue to press the issue. I wish to inform the House that earlier this morning at the meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications I got the agreement of colleagues that the committee would request RTE representatives to appear before it next week to explain this outrageous decision which has caused enormous anger among the Diaspora. A letter was received from the enterprise and communications committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly which was circulated at the committee meeting, in which it expressed its concern about the shutdown of the 252 LW transmission, which will deny listeners in Northern Ireland the opportunity to listen to RTE Radio One programmes. I wish RTE would understand what it is doing with this decision. I expect it to reply positively to the invitation for its representatives to appear before the committee. When ii does, I hope it will explain the spin it has put on its decision and that it cost €900,000 to transmit programmes on 252 LW. The whole business smells fishy and is not right. I will continue to raise the issue until there is a satisfactory resolution, namely, RTE suspending its decision at the very least. I am particularly disappointed that when I tabled this as an Adjournment matter - it is not the Leader’s fault as it came through the Cathaoirleach - it was turned down, as the Minister had claimed he had no competence in the area. How far have democracy and accountability gone that the Minister in charge of RTE allows this policy decision, not an operational one, to go ahead which affects a large segment of the Diaspora? The Minister seems to have washed his hands of the matter, claiming he has no competence in it.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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The ruling on whether the issue was eligible to be raised as an Adjournment matter was made on the basis of legislation. I made this very clear at the time.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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All I am asking is that the Leader convey the anger of the Diaspora which I am trying to reflect in my contribution to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Alex White.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I commend the former Minister of State, Deputy Fergus O’Dowd, for his courage in making his statement yesterday on Uisce Éireann. It was crystal clear and echoed much of what had been articulated by Members on this side of the House during the debate on the establishment of Uisce Éireann. At the time I said it was incomprehensible that we would incorporate a water services provider under the auspices of Bord Gáis Energy. Bord Gáis has a very bad culture with regard to work practices, as I said to the Minister at the time and on which I gave him information. Excessive salary bonuses are paid in the organisation. I know people who worked in it - that is probably a misnomer - had a lot of time off for different reasons and came out with very handsome packages. The hard-pressed individuals who are trying to make ends meet should not be burdened with waste in Uisce Éireann with the already excessive salaries for consultants and the bonus culture. It was interesting that yesterday morning a spokesperson for Uisce Éireann defended-----

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

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I do not think there is any point in bringing the Minister of State to the House to discuss this issue. It was a creature of Fine Gael.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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As well as of the Labour Party.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I would like to see the Minister responsible, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, come to the House for a proper debate on the matter. If control is not exerted now, people will not only pay for their water in the future but also for the excesses the elite fortunate enough to work at the top of this organisation will enjoy.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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The Senator is way over time. These are points he can make in the debate.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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That is not good enough. People’s pension pots have been raided. They are being pressured and facing difficulties. We need to have a debate on this and a range of other issues.

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

I hope the Leader agrees that it is time the Government and public representatives on both sides of the House represented the people and not the elite who happen to be in positions of authority.

John Crown (Independent)
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I understand the Minister for Health will be coming to the House in the coming weeks to address insurance, future strategic plans and waiting lists. I ask that he also brief the House on the state of hopefully unnecessary emergency plans for Ebola in the event that there are additional cases.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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It is nice that calm has been restored. I could not hear what Senators were saying with the noise on both sides of the House. If people want replies, I must hear what they say in the first place. Senator Darragh O'Brien commended the Defence Forces, as did other Members, on their bravery and professionalism. I am glad we are having the debate at 1 p.m. We all commend the work of the Defence Forces.

With regard to the State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014 and the plight of the deferred members of the pension scheme, we will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister for Social Protection.

Senator Bacik called for a debate on the Amnesty International report on economic, social and cultural rights. Senator O'Donnell referred to the Central Bank report and its comment on the loosening of lending standards. That was a gross understatement. As Senator Conway mentioned, it will be difficult to get the Minister for Finance or the Minister of State at the Department of Finance to appear in the House for the next week or so. After the budget, we will arrange a debate on banking.

Senator Norris referred to funding for the Cuba Support Group and the fact that banks are closing its accounts. He mentioned US interference in the matter. I am sure the people involved are bringing the matter to the attention of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Minister for Finance. Senator Norris should also do so.

David Norris (Independent)
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Can the Leader do so as well?

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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If Senator Norris gives me the full details, I will raise the matter. It should be examined.

Senator Martin Conway spoke about the lack of customer service in banks and in Irish Water and called for a callback service from Irish Water. Senator Daly proposed amending the Order of Business to allow us to take No. 11, Immigration Reform for US Citizens Living in Ireland Bill 2014 - First Stage. I will accede to that request.

Senator Aideen Hayden referred to political donations and pointed out that the Government has introduced legislation on the matter. It is reforming the way we do politics. She also called for a debate on lending institutions and banks.

Senator Mullins referred to Palliative Care Week and the need for a debate on perinatal hospital care. The Minister for Health will appear in the coming weeks. Perhaps the matter can be raised then, or we can arrange a specific debate. It is difficult to get Ministers to come to the House one at a time on different issues.

Senator Colm Burke referred to long-term planning and Senator Cullinane spoke about Irish Water. Last week, I outlined to him that the request for PPS numbers is quite legitimate under data protection legislation. I do not know if he was listening.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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I did not mention PPS numbers.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Data Protection Commissioner stated that Irish Water was entitled to PPS numbers under the legislation. It relates to people receiving allowances. That is why PPS numbers are requested.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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That is not what I asked.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Sinn Féin, as I pointed out previously, already charges for water indirectly in Northern Ireland as part of the domestic rates.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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We stopped water charges.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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That is more of that rubbish talk. There is also a property tax in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin recently deferred the introduction of direct charging for water until 2016. I wonder why. The average domestic rates charge in Northern Ireland is £950 per household, which is far in excess of the equivalent in the South. The Sinn Féin policy of keeping Irish Water but abandoning water charges will add €850 million to the deficit.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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I have the fully costed alternative budget here.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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That must be bridged by additional taxes. We have not seen the budget-----

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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I will give Senator Cummins a copy so that he can learn something.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I am glad it was published at last. Perhaps Senator Cullinane can tell us where the €850 million will come from.

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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It is all in here. Perhaps the Leader can arrange a debate, which he has refused to do for the past three years.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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The Leader without interruption.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator Mullins referred to the VAT reduction for the hospitality sector and how effective the measures were. It would be a laudable thing to have a debate on the issue. Senator Terry Leyden referred to the conflict in Syria and the dangers of Islamic State. He called for a debate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, who has indicated that he will be coming to the House in the next couple of weeks.

Senator Naughton referred to the 10% reduction in unemployment in Galway city and county. She stated that job creation and sustaining jobs was the number one priority of the Government. Senator Healy Eames called for a debate on third level education. We have asked the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the Chamber but I have not yet received a date for the debate. Senator Denis O'Donovan called for a debate on the banks. The Central Bank report included a consultation process on its proposals. We will try to have the Minister before the House in the coming months.

Senator Tom Sheahan referred to bringing back Irish people and the possibility of people from other European countries coming to the country. Freedom of movement is a major plank of the European treaties. There is not much that can be done in that regard, but it is worthy of a debate. Senator Mary White referred to the extension of the BreastCheck programme to women over 64 years of age. I am sure the Minister will do everything possible to extend the programme.

Senator Michael D'Arcy referred to the taxation of cars and mentioned an anomaly in the system. I will bring the matter to the attention of the relevant Minister, probably the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Senator Ó Clochartaigh referred to local development issues. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, will appear in the Chamber at the end of the month or in early November to deal with housing and homelessness. A debate on that matter has been requested for some time. It is another day's work to get him to appear for debates on the issues mentioned this morning.

Senator Catherine Noone referred to the latest commentary from the ESRI and the positive news contained therein. Senator Paschal Mooney updated us on the long-wave radio transmission by RTE. It is good that RTE is appearing before the Oireachtas joint committee, which is the proper place to raise the issue. Senator Jim Walsh referred to the bonus culture in Bord Gáis and Uisce Éireann. I am sure we will have a debate with the Minister on that. I agree with the point raised by Senator John Crown.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Darragh O'Brien has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That a debate with the Minister for Social Protection on the IAS scheme be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Yes.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That a debate with the Minister for Finance on the Central Bank's consultation paper on residential mortgage lending policy be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed.

Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent)
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No, I am withdrawing it until after the budget.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Mark Daly has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 11 be taken before No. 1." The Leader has indicated that he is prepared to accept the amendment. Is that correct?

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I accept the amendment.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator David Cullinane has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on water service charges be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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Yes.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Fidelma Healy Eames has proposed an amendment to the Order of Business: "That a debate with the Minister for Education and Skills on the increasing costs and growing unaffordability of third level education be taken today." Is the amendment being pressed?

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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Yes.