Senator Bacik Speaking on Housing Situation in Donaghmede, and Repeating a Call for Debate on the Keane Report

Order of Business

Tuesday, 18 October 2011

Senator Ivana Bacik: I join with Senator MacSharry in calling for a debate on how to prevent a repeat of the incident with the apartment block in Donaghmede. It is an appalling outcome to see hundreds of people, including elderly people and families with young children, being put in most inappropriate and unsuitable accommodation for perhaps weeks or even longer because of the inadequate building and the failure to observe fire safety standards. I used the word “inadequate”, although it is a gross understatement. I understand from reading newspaper reports and from what Senator MacSharry said that the building was approved on the plans and that at design stage, it looked as if it would be compliant with fire and safety regulations. Clearly, the actual building differed significantly from the plans. It is an appalling outcome and there are huge questions to be answered.

We must look at how legislation can assist. Is any reform of legislation needed to ensure this cannot happen in the future? I agree with Senator MacSharry that perhaps the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government should attend the House. I have also asked the Minister of State with responsibility for housing to attend the House at an early date. There are issues in this regard with which he may also be able to deal.

A debate on the Keane report would be useful. Many others, including myself, have called for this already. I understand we will have that debate in early course.

Will the other group leaders let me know if they are willing to support a motion for cross-party support, that Seanad Éireann condemns the continued detention since 10 September of internationally renowned psychoanalyst, Dr. Rafah Nashed, by the Syrian Government, and which I have already circulated? I am very grateful to Senators Rónán Mullen and Jillian van Turnhout for assuring me of their support. Colleagues will recall that I have already raised this matter. It would be very appropriate for the Seanad to call on the Government to join with others, including the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, in calling for the immediate release of Dr. Rafah Nashed. The Governments of Argentina, Brazil and France have already called for her release and her continued detention in her in a women's prison in Damascus is an appalling abuse of her human rights. It would be a useful exercise for us to call for her release and that of others arbitrarily detained by the Syrian regime.

In the context of an ongoing debate on the referendums, which is rather more muted than the debate on the presidential election, the Seanad debate on the Oireachtas committee referendum was a very good and an informative one. Is there some way of disseminating the speeches from that debate? I have sent them to anyone looking for information on the referendum. It would be a very good way to inform people about the content of that referendum.