Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is Nos. 1 and 2, motions regarding Freedom of Information Act 2014 - Referral to Committee, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; and No. 3, Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Age of Eligibility for Election to the Office of President) Bill 2015 - Second Stage, to be taken at 4.45 p.m., with contributions from group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes and contributions of all other Senators not to exceed six minutes.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Last week a number of Senators from the Government side and I raised the issue of mortgage variable interest rates and there seems to be broad agreement among colleagues across the House that mortgage holders are being ripped off. I have raised this time and again here in the House. According to the comparison made by my colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath in the Dáil, the variable rates are as follows: Bank of Ireland, 4.5%; Danske Bank, 4.95%, EBS, 4.33%; Permanent TSB, 4.5%; Ulster Bank, 4.3%; and AIB, which is practically a State-owned bank, 4.15% - one of the lower ones. Those are merely the standard rates and do not take into account loan-to-value ratios. The banks are borrowing at wholesale rates of between 1% and 1.5%, taking into account their own costs, and the ECB base rate is the lowest ever. There is no justification whatsoever for banks to continue to charge these rates. There will be an increase in the ECB rate over the next 12 to 18 months and the banks will then further increase their variable mortgage rate. We all know that will happen.

Senator Mullins and others raise the matter last week also and decried the fact that the banks are charging these rates, but I want to know what is being done about it. According to my party's research, the Economic Management Council of the Government, made up of the four main Ministers or sub-Cabinet, has not met the banks since 2012. I want to know what, if anything, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, the Taoiseach or the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, is doing about even putting forward the view of Government.

In Britain, there is a treating customers fairly charter, which we could take, transpose and place on a legal footing here in Ireland, particularly in banks in which we still have a state, such as AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB.Although there are public interest directors on the boards of those banks, the Government is totally silent as 300,000 variable mortgage rate customers are being overcharged and ripped off by Irish banks and foreign banks in this country, which are charging extortionate rates. This is without even getting into the sub-prime sector.

This matter must be cleared up and while I agreed with colleagues on the other side of the House who raised this matter last week and the week before, nothing further has happened. Fianna Fáil has tabled a Private Members' motion in the Dáil on this very matter that asks what the Government is doing. Members can provide an opportunity here today by bringing in either the Minister for Finance or the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Harris, both of whom are decent attendees to this Chamber. I propose formally an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for Finance should come to the House to explain what is the Government's position on the variable mortgage rates being charged to Irish customers.

I ask the Leader that on the return of Members after the Easter break, time be set aside for the issues of Government procurement and tendering. I have published a Bill that I intend to introduce as well but I make this request in the context of what I understand today regarding the 10% of bus routes in Dublin that Dublin Bus intends to put out for privatisation. Even if one leaves aside whatever is one's view of that proposal, is the Leader aware that only companies with a turnover of €30 million can pitch for these routes? This kicks every Irish company out the gap, as they will not even be able to tender for this business. This is what is being done wholesale across all different sectors-----

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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That is right.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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----- and all Government tendering. It must be addressed and I ask that the Leader set aside time when Members return after the Easter break to discuss this matter.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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First, I welcome the passage through this House late last night of the Children and Family Relationships Bill after a long debate. It is welcome to see this major and most progressive law reform go through. As all Members are aware, it will change the law in a number of important respects but in a child-centred manner, while recognising the reality of the diversity of family life in Ireland today. The Bill will make important changes to the law on adoption, guardianship, parentage and other matters and I greatly welcome it.

I seek a debate on school admissions policies in light of the proposed school admissions Bill, which I understand is coming before the Cabinet today. As colleagues are aware, a number of cases have arisen in recent months regarding school enrolment and admissions policies. The new Bill will be welcome in seeking at last to reform this area from a statutory point of view. In light of the Bill, Members might have a general debate, even in advance of its introduction, because it is such a pressing issue for so many parents. In particular, there is the issue of diversity of patronage in the schooling system. I acknowledge Members have debated this matter in this House previously but they are due to have another debate on the subject, given that so many people have raised the difficulty of getting into a school, in particular where schools are religious-run and where a child does not have the particular religion of the local school. This is a real issue for many parents across Ireland. While the former Minister, Deputy Quinn, set up the diversity of patronage initiative, very few schools have transformed patronage under that initiative and consequently, Members should have that debate.

Finally, I welcome the announcement today that the Government is buying, as a national monument, the buildings at Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street at which a commemorative centre will be established. All Members are aware that the last council of war with James Connolly and Pádraig Pearse was held at 16 Moore Street and that the poor condition of the buildings on Moore Street has been a matter of controversy for some years. In advance of the centenary of the 1916 Rising, it is welcome that the Government has made this decision and that the site will be developed as a commemorative centre, adjacent of course to the GPO, as another commemorative centre and national monument.

Feargal Quinn (Independent)
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Approximately 18 months ago, a referendum was held on this House, that is, on the reform of the Seanad. However, nothing happened afterwards and then, some time around the end of last year, the Taoiseach decided he would appoint a committee that should report by the end of March. As today marks the end of March, things are taking a long time. However, the group established is highly distinguished, mainly comprising former Senators. While its members are highly competent and capable regarding whatever it is they are coming up with for a reformed Seanad, leaving it until April Fool's Day to report does not seem to augur well, assuming the aforementioned report will be made available tomorrow. I hope this will happen and ask the Leader to check, if he can, to establish what has happened with that report because the committee started with great hope.

If I may, I will follow through on what Senator Darragh O'Brien spoke about in respect of the variable mortgage interest rates. What really got me about this is that for those banks that have introduced lower rates, it is only for new customers. It is the most outrageously unfriendly thing to do, that is, to tell one's regular customers that one does not regard them to be as important as strangers who are coming in the door for the first time. A debate is needed on this issue and I look forward to having such a debate soon.

Tomorrow marks the start of a huge campaign around the country, in which individuals will be asked to make sure we have a cleaner Ireland, an Ireland with less litter and which does not scatter rubbish all around the place. Ireland is the sixth biggest generator of household rubbish - I am unsure in which area but I think it is not just the European Union but the entire OECD area. Ireland has a bad record in this regard but we can do something about it. This something is not going to be done by the State or by councils but by us individually if, as a nation, we can say we are not going to put up with this but are going to do something about it. The ideal way of making sure that we are not obliged to clean up is to not put out the litter in the first instance. I believe the campaign that starts tomorrow needs the support of everybody and if it gets that support the whole attitude to a dirty Ireland could be changed to one of having a clean Ireland.

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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I was shocked to read a report from the United Kingdom today showing that one in five students aged between 14 and 17 had bought or tried to buy e-cigarettes. The report also revealed that one in 20 of these teenagers had never smoked conventional cigarettes before, which suggests that vaping may have become a new activity with which to experiment among teenagers, rather than a device to help to quit conventional cigarettes, which is the purpose for which they were intended. Moreover, this extensive study, which was conducted in Liverpool, monitored 16,000 teenagers in the north west of England and was published in the journal BMC Public Health, found a strong link between cigarettes and alcohol use. The study revealed that underage drinkers were more likely to have obtained e-cigarettes than were non-drinkers, while among the non-smokers, binge drinkers were four times more likely to have bought or tried e-cigarettes. This report is all the more concerning, given that here in this country, we tend to mirror trends in the United Kingdom.

Although the Government has acknowledged that e-cigarettes contain a highly addictive substance and has approved the drafting of legislation prohibiting the sale of such products to those who are under 18 years of age, as matters stand there are no specific regulations governing electronic cigarettes in Ireland. While e-cigarettes are considered to be less potentially harmful than regular cigarettes, the long-term health consequences of vaping are not yet well known. Concern already has been expressed in the United States about the safety of the liquid inside e-cigarettes, which, if ingested on its own, can be harmful.

Such a speedy infiltration into teenage culture of what in essence is a new drug is alarming. It has been shown that exposure to nicotine in adolescence may lead to lifelong risk of addiction and keeping the rates low in youths should be the top priority for all Members. In Scotland, Ministers are consulting the public on a crackdown on e-cigarettes, including a ban on their sale to persons under 18, advertising restrictions and other such measures. As such, I call for the fast-tracking of legislation to prohibit the promotion and sale of e-cigarettes to teens.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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I was both astonished and disgusted today by the proposal from the Fine Gael and Labour parties that they will rewrite the 1916 Proclamation. I have never heard its like before. Would one rewrite a document for which people died?

John Gilroy (Labour)
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No one is proposing to rewrite it.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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That is exactly what is proposed.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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The Senator should check his facts.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Byrne please, without interruption.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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The Fine Gael and Labour parties have no authority. They have no ownership of 1916, which belongs to everybody in this country and it is about time they realise that. There appears to be some sort of shame, particularly within the Fine Gael Party, as well as large sections of the Labour Party, about 1916. That was clearly evident-----

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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What is the Senator talking about?

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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It was clearly evident from the promotional video the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, released last year.The 1916 Rising was hardly mentioned. There were pictures of the British royal family, but none of the signatories or people who had died.

David Norris (Independent)
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There was not much in the document about the alliance with the Kaiser.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Does Senator Thomas Byrne have a question for Leader?

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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We should have a full debate on the 1916 Proclamation, how we are implementing it and realising the vision of those who gave their lives and those who subsequently created this democracy.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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Let us have that debate.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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How are we realising that vision? For the Fine Gael Party, the latest show of shame and embarrassment follows the iar-Thaoiseach, Mr. Bruton, calling for the firing squads to be remembered. It is ludicrous and ridiculous. It is about time Fine Gael took its hand off the Proclamation and gave it back to the people, with whom it belongs.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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It is disgraceful.

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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I call for a debate on the Tús and rural social schemes. There are moves afoot to amalgamate the schemes which, I respectfully suggest, are incompatible. The rural social scheme is for small farmers and helps to supplement the incomes of a few thousand, whereas the Tús scheme is a job activation measure. To corroborate my assertion, I have been advised that at least one community development company is advertising posts of rural social schemes and Tús supervisors, although they are separate schemes. Given the precedent set and that matters are predetermined, the rural social scheme has played an important role in supporting low-income farmers in the past decade. It offers unlimited social benefits to those participating in the scheme in that it assists in alleviating isolation in rural Ireland, promoting positive mental health and does untold work in supporting a broad range of social care services, community and voluntary groups. We should do nothing that might place it in jeopardy. I have been a long-time believer that we need a separate strategy for rural Ireland when it comes to Government policy. It could be akin to the islands strategies pursued during the years. I do not want to see another case of east versus west because the numbers participating in rural social schemes are proportionately smaller in the eastern part of Ireland than in the ten counties along the western seaboard.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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What is the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, doing about it?

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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Some 2,096 people, 81%, including 156 farmers, are in the constituency in which I live, Galway East; we must, therefore, be particularly cautious in implementing policies designed for implementation in the east but which do not fit in the west. On that basis, I call for a debate on the issue at the earliest convenience.

David Norris (Independent)
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Last night we passed the Child and Family Relationships Bill which should put an end to the idea canvassed by the "No" side that the referendum deals with children. That business has been taken care of and is done and dusted.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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No more questions.

David Norris (Independent)
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There can be plenty of questions.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator.

David Norris (Independent)
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No one ever stopped the Senator, but the referendum is about one thing only. The issues of children and adoption have been dealt with. As it is utterly dishonest to suggest children will in any way be affected by it, the Senator should stop doing it. I am concerned by the misinformation. Some nasty material is being circulated, about which I will speak on another occasion. It is coming from the "No" side and I have come across nothing like it from the "Yes" side. I very much welcome the fact that DCU has changed the time of its examinations to facilitate students who wish to vote in the referendum. I appeal to the provost of Trinity College Dublin and the heads of the other universities and technical colleges to do the same because this mostly concerns young people who should be facilitated in every way to vote. I wonder if the Cathaoirleach will consider writing to the heads of the universities to ask them if they will consider changing the dates of examinations to facilitate voting in this important referendum. I am very concerned that, owing to apathy and misinformation, the referendum could easily be lost. That is what I am hearing on the ground, not the 74% figure in The Irish Timessurvey, which is very soft.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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There are three debates ongoing and I might rule later that those who interfere with the progress of the Order of Business will not be allowed to speak. Members can have it one way or the other. Senator Tom Sheahan has been standing for over one minute and no one has had the courtesy to listen to the point he is trying to make or the question he wants to put to the Leader. I will allow him another minute.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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Where is Senator Paul Coghlan?

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator is trying my patience. Since she came into the Chamber, she has interrupted proceedings four times and also had a chat with Senator David Norris.

David Norris (Independent)
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I was not responsible for it.

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

What is the status of the Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2014 which Senator Imelda Henry tabled? The name of the Leader is also on the Bill which is No. 26 on the Order Paper. With Good Friday coming up, it would be timely to have a discussion on the issue. The Fianna Fáil Party has not made a formal decision on its policy on opening on Good Friday, but last year I had strong reservations. Yesterday I listened to Mr. Joe Finnegan on the radio station Shannonside interview a publican from Newtownbutler who was attracting customers from all over counties Cavan and Monaghan. My colleague Senator Diarmuid Wilson says Belcoo will be wide open, 100 m from Blacklion, where three or four pubs cannot open on Good Friday. It is not a level playing pitch and we should have an open-minded discussion on the issue. The Bill could be passed by Friday if people wanted it to happen, but it will not. I spoke to Mr. Padraig Cribben of the VFI who said there were 52,000 people working in the industry, an enormous number. Now they are competing with railway stations and hotels. If there are 7,300 licences - 700 in Dublin, some people have reservations about the matter. One time there was no opening on St. Patrick's Day. I have reservations about opening on Good Friday from a religious point of view, but our society has changed dramatically and we must cater for all tastes.We have to bear in mind that we are a tourist destination. The late Brian Lenihan, Senior, a brilliant politician who was a great friend and mentor spoke about the futility of consistency in the 1980s. This was the wise warning of a thinker who understood the danger of being tethered too tightly to a single position in an environment of ever shifting sands. We are on shifting sands and we should have an open discussion, at least a Second Stage debate, which would allow the Government to express its point of view. I was fundamentally opposed to this last year. In case I am accused of having a vested interest, I have a certain vested interest in light of the changed circumstances. We have great colleagues in the Presbyterian church in Northern Ireland who hold very extreme views-----

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I will call time on Senator Leyden.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I did not realise that the public houses in Northern Ireland would open on Good Friday, whereas the Roman Catholics cannot open, perhaps we should look at this again.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator is over time and is out of time.

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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Confucius agrees.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Leader, Confucius would have a view on that.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Respect the Chair.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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He was a learned scholar.

Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)
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Like Senator Leyden.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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The Fianna Fáil Party's view, as outlined by Senator Byrne of Irish history is rather charming in its simplicity. We would all love to live in the simple black and white world that Fianna Fáil portray Irish history to be.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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That is a stupid thing to say. What is the Senator talking about?

John Gilroy (Labour)
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It fails to acknowledge the complexity of the positions, the motivation and the actions that lead to the formation of this State. Lest there by anyone in any doubt about how Fianna Fáil rewrites history in a self serving type of way, we note that the only thing Fianna Fáil can say about the Rising today is to focus on a negative thing on the day the Government announced the purchase of Moore Street National Monument.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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That is a load of nonsense. The Senator is missing the point.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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The day that something really good and positive happens, the Fianna Fáil Party focuses on the negative.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator is missing the point

John Gilroy (Labour)
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: Let us recall this is the party of men who stood in the General Post Office in 1916

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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I hope that is not the reason Senator Gilroy stood up.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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The men who stood in the General Post Office in 1916, de Valera and Lemass who were the founders of the party that brought this country to ruin 100 years after they had made a stand in the GPO.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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Lemass and de Valera

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator just got out in time.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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What would they be thinking today?

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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Lemass and de Valera set up democracy in this country

John Gilroy (Labour)
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I support Senator Byrne's view that there should be an early debate to tease out different positions.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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I hope that is not the only reason Senator Gilroy stood on

David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)
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Unfortunately the Dunnes Stores workers will be on strike on Thursday. I do not believe the workers want to be on strike. The last place they want to be is on a picket line but they have been left with no choice because of the actions of the company itself.

Dunnes Stores is a very profitable company and has treated many of its workers very shabbily down the years. Many of them are on contracts that guarantee very low working hours. They do not know from week to week how many hours they will have. The Mandate trade union conducted a survey which shows that 86% of workers said that the use of contracts by Dunnes Stores was a way to control and manipulate the workers. Many have their 15 hours spread over five days, which means they do not have access to any social welfare payment and they do not know from week to week or from day to day what hours they will have. They have no income security. That creates many problems. The Dunnes Stores workers are a section of workers in that sector, where there is a problem with low pay, precarious work and under-employment. There are unscrupulous employers who do not recognise the trades union, will not engage with trades union and do not treat their workers fairly but yet are making huge profits. It is not good enough. I am calling for a debate on the issue of precarious work and under-employment and the issue of contract work. There are companies and workers who will use part-time and contract work in a progressive way, because flexibility is important to some workers but it is also clear that some employers are using it for sinister reasons to control the workforce. That is not good enough. May I take the opportunity in the week that workers will be on the picket line, where they do not want to be, to have a debate on the issue of precarious work; it would do them justice. Let us put in place the solutions, because there are solutions and the debate would be the place to raise then.

Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I support my colleague, Senator Higgins in her call for the debate on the future of the community employment and Tús schemes. These schemes have operated very effectively in County Galway and in the west and we want to ensure they are safeguarded. It is important to hear what are the plans for them.

I agree with everything Senator Darragh O'Brien said about the variable interest rates. He rightly said that I raised this matter last week. I know the Leader will not be in a position to accede to the amendment to the Order of Business today but I would like an urgent debate on this issue. There is no justification whatsoever for the interest rates being charged by the main banks, given the low ECB rate. It is true that more than 300,000 people are being ripped off and this matter needs to be addressed. I call on Government to respond to the various cries for help being made by so many people.

I welcome the fact that €12 million was pledged yesterday by the Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock on behalf of the Government at a major humanitarian conference for Syria, which was held in Kuwait. The conference is designed to raise €7.7 billion to help almost 18 million people in Syria and in the region. The conflict in Syria has cost more than 200,000 lives to date and more than 12 million people are in need of ongoing humanitarian aid. Ireland's contribution will help fund some lifesaving humanitarian aid and some short-term relief but what is deeply troubling is that there is little progress in bringing the conflict to an end. The international community appears indifferent to the innocent people that are being barred or banned. Humanitarian aid is being prevented from reaching vulnerable people and the Assad regime appears to be acting with impunity. This conflicts has gone on for four years and appears to be worsening. I would like to have a further debate or discussion on Syria with the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock or the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Flanagan.

International attention needs to continue to be focussed on the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. There appears to be little or nothing happening to resolve this appalling situation, where so many innocent women and children as well as men are losing their lives on a daily basis. Millions of people are being displaced. The issue of whether Ireland should take additional refugees also needs to be addressed.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I support Senator Mullins contribution on Syria. Children in Syria are displaced. They are not receiving any education. I am part of a programme called "UpForSchool" which is aimed at getting the 58 million children worldwide who are not at school worldwide into school. This September there will be a UN summit where all world leaders will be asked to sign a commitment to sustainable development goals to get children who are currently not at school into school. Syria is a particularly apt case. I think we should put our weight behind it. If world leaders do not do something about it, the rest of us will not get too far.

I thank the Minister for Education and Skills for listening to the case of children with Down Syndrome and for providing the resources for them. I tabled a motion on this issue and I think that debate made some small difference. Many parents have contacted me and asked that I thank the Minister on their behalf.

I also want to note my thanks to the Minister for Education and Skills for holding back on changes on special needs until adequate consultation has taken place in schools. The Minister is listening and she is making a difference. There are children with emotional difficulties, particularly in the area of bullying and I think we should focus on that.

I beg the indulgence of the Chair, to raise a question with the Leader. The 13 June this year is the 150th anniversary of W. B. Yeats's birth. His ancestral home is in County Galway, Thoor Ballylee. It was closed due to flooding in 2009 and we are doing our absolute best to have it reopened in time for his birthday. I am asking for one hour to be set aside for public statements when we can remember Senator W.B. Yeats as well as the poet and literary man, who has such a reach world wide.It is time this House also did something around that issue. I ask the Leader if we could also invite particular guests into the Visitors Gallery for that day.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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That is an excellent suggestion.

Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the Leas-Cathaoirleach's support.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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I welcome the announcement last week by the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, of a ten-year tourism policy for the country.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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Yes.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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He hopes to increase tourism revenue by €5 billion and tourist visitors by 100 million to this country during that period. In the context of the Senator Sheahan's earlier comments, it is important that we have a debate on this subject.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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It is.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, outlined broadly how he hopes this will happen but the specifics of the policy have not been put together. He has invited input from the general public and he might also welcome input from Members of this House. For example, the Wild Atlantic Way has been an outstanding success, as has the greater Dublin area tourism product-----

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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-----but the south east and the midlands-----

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
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And the west.

Denis Landy (Labour)
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To some extent, the west is covered in the Wild Atlantic way but the south east and the midlands have not yet been included in the tourism product. This policy presents an opportunity for building on what we have already have in certain parts of the country, about which Senator Sheahan spoke, and for improving tourism. The Minister should be invited to come into the House before he launches his three-year plan, which, according to his press statement, he intends to do shortly, to facilitate the input of Members of this House. We have many ideas about growing tourism in our parts of the country such as developing the GAA Way, which I have articulated here on many occasions. I would welcome if the Leader could arrange for the Minister to come into the House after Easter to hear our views on this matter.

Sean Barrett (Independent)
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I welcome the announcement today that Ulster Bank and An Post are to link up to provide some banking services in post offices. It is good news for towns where banks are closing branches and good news for small post office which are under pressure. There has been concern about the closure of post offices in rural areas.

I echo the concern of Senator Darragh O'Brien about the prospect of a €30 million tender to operate bus services in this country. It seems that would mean that 150 buses would have to be put one of the road.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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It is ridiculous.

Sean Barrett (Independent)
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For what is the €30 million needed? In transport there are no economies of scale; small is beautiful, and transport policy should not be focused on size in terms of scale. People can build up a reputation but the requirement to start with €30 million worth of buses parked outside seems to be wrong. We had that when a man by the name of Patton was operating a service from Dalkey to Dublin Airport but we gave his licence to a UK multinational instead. It seemed he was quite happily providing his neighbours with a bus service to the airport but the Patton Flyer was taken off the road by the Department. The Department must be realistic about the way the real economy operates.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Hildegarde Naughton (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the fact that Galway is one of 11 counties that has increased its grant allocations to third level students. In the 2013-14 academic year, almost 5,400 students received third level funding. Since the introduction of the centralised system there has been a general reduction in grants given to people living in rural areas and an increase in the number given to people living in urban areas. Although there does not appear to be any statistics on this, we were told that is due to a uniform policy now being adapted by Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI. I am a little concerned that some of the reasons given are anecdotal and no studies seem to have been carried out on this. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister into the House to discuss this matter at her convenience.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I join Senator Leyden in calling on the Leader to have a debate on the licensed trade opening hours, particularly in regard to Good Friday. I do not see anything wrong with publicans having two days a year off. They generally look forward to that. It is nothing to do with religion. Initially, it started out that way but publicans are entitled to have a break as well as the rest of us. It is an issue, as Senator Leyden said, in the towns and villages surrounding the Border. Some people from the Republic travel to Northern Ireland to have a few drinks while it is not allowed in the Republic. That does not happen as much now as it did in the past but it still happens to a certain extent. I would welcome a debate on that issue in the context of a wider debate on the issue of alcohol.

Last week Eircom published a draft plan which offers no alternative to having overhead power lines in the north east. This issue has been raised by many people, including Senator Byrne on this side of the House, Senator Whelan on the opposite side and my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith in the Lower House. If undergrouding can be considered for Grid Link and Grid West, it should also be an option for the North-South interconnector. It is a fact that there are many advantages to putting power lines underground, including lower transmission losses, lower maintenance costs and less risk of weather damage but, in particular, it is an issue of fairness.

Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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This issue has been raised at Cavan, Monaghan and Meath County Councils particularly by Councillors Seamus Kyne and Clifford Kelly and it is an issue of ensuring fairness for the people of the north east. We were told that this inquiry included assessment of the feasibility of putting cables underground in other parts of the country and while we are told it is possible to do it in other parts of the country, for some reason only known to EirGrid, it is not possible to put the cables underground in our part of the country. All we are asking for is fair play and fairness. I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister to come into House in order that we can have a discussion with him on this matter.

With regard to the 1916 commemorations and the part our respective parties played in that, even though we only became parties after it, we should have a very balanced approached to this. Nobody has a monopoly on knowledge or on the part their people played in it. While we are discussing history, is Senator Gilroy now writing himself out of the history of the Fianna Fáil Party, of which he was an member for many years?

John Gilroy (Labour)
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That is the worst insult the Senator could give me-----

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator Conway.

John Gilroy (Labour)
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-----that I was a member of Fianna Fáil.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Conway, please proceed.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator is doing okay. The Labour Party is welcome to him. We do not want him back.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator Conway for the third time.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I did not want to interrupt our esteemed colleague.

Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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Go Ahead.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Time is running out and Senator Conway might not have time to interrupt anybody.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I would echo what my colleague Senator Landy said about the importance of tourism, and Senator Brennan spoke about this last week or the week prior to that. We should debate that subject more in this House. The one thing that we as a country should have learned from the crash and crisis we have been through in recent years is that we should play to our strengths. The strategy behind tourism in the past four of five years has been smart, innovative, creative and successful. We had The Gathering which was the first attempt at a corporate branding where we pulled together all the strengths, appealed to the diaspora and, in turn, we got the results. The Wild Atlantic Way is a similar example of success, which pulls together the strengths and beauty of the various counties into something that rivals the Camino or any of the great walks of the world. It has been a great success.Despite a very limited budget the Wild Atlantic Way has repaid its investment 20-fold and other parts of the country need the same type of corporate approach. Until five years ago Kerry was competing against Clare, Clare was competing against Galway we were all competing against each other. At the Irish festival in Milwaukee, every county had their own stand and instead of combining all our resources and promoting Ireland we were promoting each county. We had a situation in which there was an airport in every county, which was not smart, given the size of our island.

I call for a debate after Easter on Ireland as a world class tourism destination. I ask the Leader to organise statements on the subject and to invite the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who was down in Doolin last Friday even though I was here carrying out my Seanad duties. He opened the Doolin rescue centre.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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How did the Minister manage without Senator Conway?

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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There has also been an investment of €5.7 million on the pier. A lot of good work has been done and the GAA walk, in particular, is a super idea.

John Crown (Independent)
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I call on the Leader to ask the Minister for Health, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice and Equality to consider some radical approaches to dealing with the tobacco industry in light of the disclosure that Japan Tobacco International intends mounting a serious, and I believe ultimately futile, legal challenge. It is worth looking into the context of this to consider what remedies are available to the State. Throughout the entirety of the Northern Irish tragedy there were 3,000 deaths, an average of 100 per year. That is 100 per year too many and 3,000 too many in total, but every year on the island of Ireland approximately 6,000 people die from lung cancer, or 60 times as many people as died violent deaths in the pointless Northern Irish conflict.

In response to that conflict our State was prepared to take quite radical legal measures in defence of our citizens, our gardaí, our prison officers, one of our Senators and others who were murdered. This involved proscribing certain organisations as illegal. If Japan Tobacco International persists in its course of trying to undermine the democratic rights of our Republic to protect its citizens from the effects of its product, would the Minister consider proscribing Japan Tobacco International and invoking the same draconian powers which were used during the Troubles to limit their rights and make it illegal to be a representative member or employee of the organisation in Ireland? This is what we did for other groups who were responsible for far fewer deaths.

Would the Government consider the possibility of having a referendum to make the following amendment to the Constitution: "No provision of this Constitution protects the right to sell tobacco products."? It is a nice, simple constitutional amendment and we would be the first country in the world to do it. It would not ban tobacco but would mean that our legally elected legislature would be entitled to enact whatever laws it saw fit to protect our citizens from this incredibly evil industry. The tobacco industry would then exist at the pleasure of the representatives of our State and could not hide behind any arcane constitutional arguments. We do not respect a constitutional right to murder or manslaughter so why should we respect a constitutional right to sell cancer-causing addictive substances, especially to youngsters in this country?

John Whelan (Labour)
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It has just been announced by the Minister for Justice and Equality that the independent review into the murder of Father Niall Molloy has been published. I am sorry to tell the House that there will be no justice for Father Molloy or his family because the report, carried out by the serious crime review team and Mr. Dominic McGinn SC, concludes that while there are many unanswered questions, no different outcome would arise from and no further purpose would be served by a further inquiry into the matter. This is on two grounds: first, two key witnesses have died since the murder in July 1985 and second, there is a reluctance on the part of others to give evidence and information regarding what may have happened on that date.

Even at this late juncture I would make a final appeal to anyone who has meaningful information on this matter and who is aware of what actually happened in Clara, County Offaly, in July 1985 leading to the death of Father Niall Molloy to clear their conscience and ensure justice by bringing this matter to closure. I am grateful to the Minister for requesting this independent review but unfortunately, and despite the best efforts of Government, it has not led to any positive outcome for the family.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)
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I am glad that the topic of tourism is regularly raised in this House and I am sure the Leader will respond accordingly. I congratulate the owners of Lissadell House in County Sligo, Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy, who earlier this week announced that they were opening their entire demesne. The impressive restoration of Lissadell House is a joy to behold and I encourage anybody visiting the north west to visit it. They are throwing it open to the public for walking and cycling and they are going to provide extra activities along the beach, which is a beautiful part of the north west.

In the background of this decision are years of litigation between Sligo County Council and the Walsh-Cassidy family but despite that the family still has the appetite and enthusiasm to put their patriotic duty before their personal preferences. They bought the estate from the Gore-Booths at a time when the State would not buy it. The price was very substantial and they spent all their own money restoring the building to its former glory. Lissadell House looms large in the poetic activities of Senator W. B. Yeats whose wonderful poem pays tribute to the two Gore-Booth sisters, one of whom - I think it was Constance, who later became Constance Markiewicz - he referred to as a gazelle. In that context it is relevant to have a debate on tourism on a regular basis because of its importance to the economy and I commend the calls of other speakers on the Leader in this regard. The fact that Lissadell House is going to be opened to the public will give a huge boost to tourism in the north west.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Three other Senators have indicated. I will try to let them in even though time is up.

Terry Brennan (Fine Gael)
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I listened to comments about the success of the Wild Atlantic Way and there is a further proposal to link the Viking city of Waterford with my own medieval town of Carlingford via the medieval city of Kilkenny, the Boyne Valley and Newgrange and Ferdia and Ardee, hopefully ending up in the nicest medieval town in the country, if I might say so. There should also be an east coast wild way in the future.

I read recently that my old alma mater, the ESB, is to recruit 300 apprentices over the next few years.It is the way forward and is part of its development programme for the next five to ten years, which will provide young men and women with great opportunities. They heard today that the Office of Public Works, OPW, intends to employ apprentices as stonemasons to continue the good work it is doing to our national monuments throughout the country.

I support the call by Senator Quinn on the question of litter and dumping rubbish. As a nation we must take the responsibility to take home the litter we create and bin it. If we did not have to empty all the bins in our capital city, towns and villages or clean our streets one can only imagine the money we would save. The responsibility lies with us all.

Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)
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For over ten years and on a regular basis in this House I have raised the issue of Volunteer Thomas Ceannt, who is buried in Cork gaol. As we all know, Thomas Ceannt played a very significant role in pursuit of Irish freedom and on the eve of the centenary commemoration of 1916 it would be helpful if the appropriate Minister would update us on the current position. My understanding is that some of the initial obstacles have now been overcome.

If we look back on the repatriation of the bodies of the ten volunteers buried in Mountjoy, we all remember with a great sense of affection and pride the manner in which the Irish public responded to that act on that occasion. It is well past the time when Volunteer Thomas Ceannt would receive a Christian burial and his body repatriated to a more appropriate location, possibly the family plot in Fermoy.

I would be personally very disappointed if months pass by and it is not evident that that will be done, perhaps next year, which would be the proper occasion to do what is right. Volunteer Thomas Ceannt is now the only patriot from that period resting in prison grounds and if there are no difficulties with family or otherwise, it should not be beyond the bounds of possibility that in the coming months we should be able to announce that the right thing will be done, even at this belated stage. I ask the Leader if he would make an inquiry for us in that regard and provide a statement to the House.

Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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I begin by supporting Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú in that regard. Given the week that is in it it is appropriate that that issue is raised, and we do not have to wait until the centenary to commemorate those who sacrificed their own lives so that we might have independence and freedom. It is hoped that some day their aspirations will be achieved when, together, the island will move forward as a unit.

I support fully what Senator Darragh O'Brien said about the variable interest rate being charged by the banks. I recall talking to some of my colleagues who were in Cabinet at the time of the crisis in 2008 and they all claim that because of the seriousness of the financial situation they could not allow the banks to collapse at that stage because the economic, fiscal and social fallout would have been of such magnitude that the country would not have recovered, probably for decades. Rescuing the banks has cost the taxpayer and created tremendous problems for individuals but, equally, my colleagues told me that it was their intention that once we got past that emergency they would ensure that the citizens of this country, the customers and the taxpayers, were protected, and there is a real need to do that. The insolvency legislation has not succeeded, which many of us predicted at the time, and as Senator O'Brien rightly said, with the money markets here cheaper than they have ever been it should not be the case that people are paying interest rates of 4.5% or 5%. It is not sustainable and it is not good enough, particularly when many of them are in negative equity.

Senator Bacik called for a debate on school admission policies. I would like to have a debate on that because I have consulted with people in the educational field who tell me that in my own county, and across the rest of provincial Ireland, there is no problem about enrolment but a perceived problem is being generated to promote a particular ideology, about which we have talked a good deal in the past week. There is a need, perhaps in Dublin, for some refinement where people might have difficulties. Generally, however, people of all denominations and none are accepted into our denominational schools but the effort behind all of this is to try to make all schools non-denominational. That is a mistake because we have seen in other countries that tried to move in that direction that parents, and the pupils, gravitate to the Catholic schools because that is where they get the best education, which is ultimately what parents are interested in.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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That was a bit of a marathon of an Order of Business. Senator O'Brien, Senator Quinn and the last speaker, Senator Walsh, raised the issue of mortgage holders paying over the top for variable rates, and there is no question that that is the case. The Statement of Government Priorities 2014-2016 recognised that promoting and encouraging competition and new entrants into the banking sector was required to put downward pressure on interest rates for variable mortgage customers, both new and existing mortgage holders. The mortgage interest rates that independent financial institutions operating in Ireland charge to customers are determined as a result of a commercial decision by the institutions concerned and the Minister for Finance and the Central Bank have no statutory role regarding the setting of mortgage rates charged.

As the Taoiseach announced last month, the Economic and Monetary Council, EMC, will meet with the main banks in the near future to discuss mortgage distress and the cost of variable rate mortgages. The improvements in the overall economy include a reduction in the cost of funds, an increasing demand for greater competition between the lenders, which has led to a reduction in the standard variable rate offered by the majority of banks for new customers and all standard variable rate customers in the case of AIB. As part of the Central Bank's work on mortgage arrears, lenders were asked to consider all avenues to help customers in arrears, including interest rate reductions.

The issue of regulation of interest rates remains a policy area under active review by Government and has been the subject of correspondence between the Department of Finance and the Central Bank. The Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill will ensure that all mortgage holders in the State will have the protection of the code of conduct of mortgage arrears and access to the Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman.

The actions already taken by the Government to promote competition in the banking sector, including the establishment of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, the credit guarantee scheme and the amendment to section 149 of the Consumer Credit Act to encourage new entrants to the Irish financial sector, are all helping the system but I will ask the Minister for Finance, as I have previously, to come into the House for a debate on the banking sector. I hope he will accede to that request.

Senator Bacik and Senator Walsh raised the school admissions Bill, which is pending. We had a debate on patronage previously but we will have ample time when that school admissions Bill is brought forward to have a further debate. Senator Ivana Bacik welcomed the fact that the State is buying the buildings at 14 to 17 Moore Street for a commemorative centre for members of the 1916 Rising. The issue was raised on several occasions by Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú who said the State should intervene and buy those properties. I am glad the State has acted in this regard.

Senator Feargal Quinn mentioned the committee on Seanad reform. I believe it is due to report later in April. I hope when the report is published to invite the chairman of the Seanad reform group to come to the House for where we can debate the report with him.

Senator Feargal Quinn and also Senator Terry Brennan raised the issue of the dumping of litter, an issue that was raised yesterday also. It is a major problem. Senator Brennan is right, it is up to each and every person to look after their own litter and not to litter the roadsides and streets of our cities and towns.

Senator Catherine Noone raised the issue of e-cigarettes and a study in the UK and the need for a regulation here. As she stated, they are not sufficiently long in existence to ascertain the maleffects, if any, arising. I am sure the Minister and the Department are monitoring the situation.

Senator Thomas Byrne asked how we are implementing the 1916 Proclamation. I do not know what he speaking about. I do not know what his rant was, especially on the day of purchase of the buildings at 14 to 17 Moore Street and setting them up as a national monument.

Senator Lorraine Higgins and Senator Michael Mullins raised the CE and TÚS schemes and called for a debate with the Minister of State with responsibility for rural issues, Deputy Ann Phelan, on the strategy for rural Ireland. Given the many interesting announcements in recent months in this regard, I am sure she would be willing to come to the House again to discuss that matter.

Senator David Norris raised the issue of the forthcoming referenda and stated that university examinations are clashing with the polling date. I am sure the Ministers for Education and Skills and the Environment, Community and Local Government will take up this matter with the universities. It is important that we have a good turnout for all referenda as turnout has been disappointing previously. Young people who are eager to vote in these referenda should be given the opportunity to do so.

Senator Tom Sheahan raised the matter of public service recruitment and, in particular, at Muckross National Park where the number of guides has decreased from 22 to 11. There is a need from a tourism point of view to increase the number of guides. I am sure the Senator will take that matter up with the Minister.

Senator Terry Leyden raised the issue of the intoxicating liquor Bill and Good Friday opening. That is a matter which will be incorporated into a Bill which will come before the House by the end of the year but certainly not before Good Friday. I am glad the Senator is coming around and has done a complete U-turn on the situation-----

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I am adjusting.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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-----from being totally opposed to it and now he is in favour of it. We welcome that.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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It is called pragmatism.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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In regard to the futility of consistency I thought that was the motto of the Fianna Fáil party.

Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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It might as well be.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Senator John Gilroy raised the issue of commemorations.

Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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He is a terrible man.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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Ireland 2016 is the Government's initiative to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising while also reflecting on our achievements in the past 100 years and considering what we want to achieve in the next 100 years. It is based on five themes: celebrating our achievements, remembering our past, the reconciling and respecting of all traditions, presenting Ireland to the world, and imagining our future. A great deal of work is currently under way led by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, who has established the Ireland 2016 project office within her Department, which is leading the engagement and planning elements of the programme. The Government has provided €22 million in 2015 for the development of seven major flagship commemoration projects which will be completed by Easter 2016. They include the development of the permanent exhibition space and interpretative centre at the GPO; the renovation of Kilmainham courthouse to enhance the visitor experience in Kilmainham Gaol; the provision of a permanent visitor facility at Cathal Brugha barracks for the military service pension archive; the development of visitor facilities in Teach on Phiarsaigh at Rosmuc; the renovation works at Richmond barracks; the development of a tenement museum in Dublin; and the restoration of the Kevin Barry rooms in the National Concert Hall. These are all projects that provide a permanent and lasting tribute to those involved in the 1916 Rising. People should remember what has been done and what is being done in relation to commemorations.

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Tell John Bruton.

Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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People who suggest that nothing is being done should be aware of those capital projects, which are only a small part of the commemorations.

Senator David Cullinane raised the issue of a dispute which workers have at Dunnes Stores. I hope Dunnes Stores would engage with its workers and use the labour relations mechanism of the State to solve its problems

Senator Michael Mullins raised the issue of the €12 million pledge from Ireland towards humanitarian relief in Syria. As he rightly pointed out, there is a need for the international community to redouble its efforts to resolve this appalling situation which we witness on our screens on a nightly basis.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames supported the comments made by Senator Michael Mullins and also welcomed the extra support for children with Down's syndrome. In regard to Yeats 2015, his 150th anniversary, I am not sure what we can do but I think we can organise a debate. He should be commemorated in this House as he was a Member. I do not know at present what we can do so but we will try to arrange something.

Senator Denis Landy raised the three-year plan for tourism and called for a debate. The need for such a debate has been called for by a number of Members. I am sure the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, a former Member of the House, who has come in on many occasions will be willing to do so again to discuss this important area.

Senator Sean D. Barrett welcomed the fact that Ulster Bank and An Post are coming together to provide banking services for An Post. This has to be a good development for An Post. I remind Members that we are having a debate on social protection, as requested, which will be taken by the Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, in respect of letters issued by the Department asking people for their bank details. I think he will have a positive response for Members on that issue on Thursday.

My voice is gone. I knew the debate was too long. I ask the Leas-Cathaoirleach to excuse me and I will respond tomorrow.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Okay. I was going to suggest that the Senator was a little long-winded. I am not sure if it is appropriate for the Chair to say that but I say it in good faith.

Senator Darragh O'Brien has moved an amendment to the Order of Business, "That a debate with the Minister for Finance on variable mortgage rates being charged to Irish citizens", be taken today. Is the amendment being pressed?

Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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Yes.