Order of Business

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Like Senator Byrne, I welcome the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and the Government decision on the need for an investigation into the mother and baby homes, the incidence of abuses within them of the women and children, and the manner of death and the high mortality rates in those homes. Given that many of those children who ended up in industrial schools had been born in mother and baby homes, there is a good deal of information already before different commissions. Having in the past represented survivors of abuse in the industrial schools, I am aware of how often these institutions of confinement were interlinked and how, to the shame of all of us, for many decades of the 20th century there was a network of institutions in which women and children were confined.

While the church and the church organisations certainly bear a large responsibility, equally so do the State and society more generally. Increasingly, one sees an acknowledgement that many women ended up in mother and baby homes because their families no longer would accommodate them. This is a sad truth on which we also should reflect as we embark on a further investigation, which I very much welcome.

I also congratulate SAFE Ireland on the event it organised today on another issue that again should bring shame on Irish society, namely, the incidence of domestic violence and domestic abuse in Ireland. SAFE Ireland organised an event today in Temple Bar which I was glad to attend in the company of a number of other female colleagues from both Houses. This was the event, entitled "On Just One Day", in which SAFE Ireland wished to highlight the incidence of domestic violence in Ireland through providing a window, that is, a visual representation of an ordinary day in Ireland, 5 November 2013, on which 467 women and 229 children were accommodated or received support from a SAFE Ireland domestic violence service. Being the national organisation representing front-line domestic violence services, SAFE Ireland is well placed to illustrate to Members the extent of the incidence of domestic violence and how much they must ensure stronger legislative and legal responses to it. While Members have had a number of debates on domestic violence, I ask the Leader for a debate in early course on the report by the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, which is in the process of producing a report on domestic violence resulting from a series of hearings the joint committee has held. Its members have heard strong testimony about the need for various legal changes and it would be good to have this debate in the Seanad. While the Minister intends to bring forward legislation on this issue, hopefully later this year, and I hope there will be a move towards ratification of the Istanbul Convention, I note there are a number of specific legal issues regarding the ratification of the convention, notably pertaining to the property rights of perpetrators or alleged perpetrators. Consequently, Members could have a good debate on this issue in this House.

 

Order of Business (Continued)

Wednesday, 11 June 2014

I thank the Leader for arranging a debate for later this evening on the mother and baby homes, given the general welcome all Members gave to yesterday’s announcement by the Government on the establishment of a commission of investigation into the matter, following the interdepartmental scoping exercise carried out. No doubt, this will be just the first of several debates on this, given there will be a commission of investigation into the matter.

I congratulate Senator Zappone on the Second Stage passage of her Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2014 yesterday with the Government’s support. I was delighted and privileged to second the Bill which seeks to end discrimination against persons with intellectual disabilities in respect of sexual offence provisions. In particular, it seeks to amend the crude provisions of section 5 of the 1993 sexual offences Act which all Members agree is outdated in its paternalistic approach to the matter. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, indicated she would be incorporating the principles of Senator Zappone’s Bill into the Government’s sexual offence Bill which is currently being drafted. Yesterday was a good day for the Seanad.

Will the Leader organise a debate in due course into the Mr. Justice Cooke’s report into the GSOC, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, bugging allegations? It is important we all have a chance to read and digest the report. It certainly contradicts what was presumed in many quarters to have taken place. The ICCL, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, has already criticised the report but I would welcome a considered debate on it and its findings. I note Mr. Justice Cooke has made different findings in respect of some of the conclusions which were jumped to about technical issues around the presence of what appeared at first to be bugging devices or attempts.

 

Order Of Business (Continued)

Thursday, 12 June 2014

Senator Ivana Bacik:                         I welcome the motion before the House proposed by the Leader. It will enable us-----

Senator David Cullinane: Shame.

Senator Denis O'Donovan: Shameful Labour Party.

Senator Ivana Bacik: If Senators do me the courtesy of listening-----

Senator Diarmuid Wilson: A final sell-out.

An Cathaoirleach: Senator Bacik without interruption.

Senator Ivana Bacik: It is being put before the Seanad-----

Senator Mark Daly: Democratic revolution.

Senator Ivana Bacik: If passed, it will enable us to move on with the banking inquiry-----

Senator Mark Daly: We do not need to have it passed to go on with the banking inquiry.

An Cathaoirleach: Senator Bacik without interruption.

Senator Ivana Bacik: -----and for a party which states it supports the banking inquiry Fianna Fáil has certainly done its best to play politics with it and politicise-----

Senator Mark Daly: Excuse me, you are the ones playing politics with the banking inquiry.

Senator Ivana Bacik: -----the appointment process-----

Senator Denis O'Donovan: There is no point in putting the blame on Fianna Fáil.

Senator Diarmuid Wilson: That is an outrageous statement. It is disgraceful.

Senator Mark Daly: The Government wants an overall majority to have its own kangaroo court.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan: It is woeful to have to listen to this.

An Cathaoirleach: Senator Bacik without interruption.

Senator Ivana Bacik: If Senators look at the terms of the motion, they will see it will give the Seanad greater representation on the inquiry, which is a rather positive aspect to it-----

Senator Paschal Mooney: That is only a sham.

Senator Ivana Bacik: -----by having four Senators as opposed to the original two.

Senator Diarmuid Wilson: Sit down and stop digging.

Senator Ivana Bacik: It will also ensure some measure, not an adequate measure, of gender balance. It is unfortunate that of the seven members selected from the Dáil, no woman was selected.

Senator Sean D. Barrett: Absolute rubbish.

Senator Mark Daly: Dear God Almighty, this is rubbish. That is a disgraceful comment-----

An Cathaoirleach: Allow Senator Bacik to make her point on the Order of Business.

Senator Mark Daly: -----indignation that women were not put on the banking inquiry.

An Cathaoirleach: I ask Senator Daly to allow Senator Bacik to make her point on the Order of Business.

Senator Ivana Bacik: In Senators O'Keeffe and Michael D'Arcy we will have two excellent additions to the banking inquiry and they will strengthen its work and bring expertise and experience to bear. Colleagues will know that at the selection committee last week the Government was ambushed-----

Senator Mark Daly: That is absolutely outrageous-----

Senator Ivana Bacik: -----and I use that word-----

Senator Paschal Mooney: On a point of order, I want the Senator to withdraw that remark. The democratic process was undertaken and the procedures were fully adhered to by the chairman of the committee. The democratic process was adhered to. Senator Bacik was present at the time and how dare she make that accusation.

Senator Ivana Bacik: If it has caused offence, I am happy to withdraw it.

Senator Paschal Mooney: She has left the allegation hanging in the air.

An Cathaoirleach: I ask Senator Bacik to withdraw it.

Senator Ivana Bacik: I am happy to withdraw it.

Senator Paschal Mooney: I thank Senator Bacik.

Senator Ivana Bacik: CPP issued a statement following its meeting yesterday that the inquiry which has been established on foot of the motion of 14 May is not a Part 2 inquiry and has no jurisdiction to deal with issues concerning allegations of conflicts of interest in respect of any member. It was helpful to all of us to establish legal certainty on this.

Senator Ned O'Sullivan: The smear did not work.

Senator Ivana Bacik: I ask the Leader for a debate on the ongoing situation in Iraq which is of such huge concern. We see insurgents beating-----

Senator Mark Daly: Another place having problems with democracy.

Senator Ivana Bacik: Even for Senator Daly, that is a somewhat ridiculous comment.

We see very worrying insurgency spreading throughout Iraq, coming within 80 km of Baghdad and taking over Mosul and other cities. It would be good to hear from the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what it is proposed to do at EU level to join the international community in expressing outrage and seeking to prevent the spread of insurgency.