What I've been saying

The simple fact is that we are not just facing a major economic crisis but also a human tragedy if we do not address the issue of unemployment urgently and, in particular, if we do not put in place a major lifelong education programme to ensure we allow people to develop and use their God-given talents for their own benefit and that of their community and country. I have previously spoken on the impact of the collapse in the construction sector on unemployment, particularly

I take issue with an attitude that is pervasive in some quarters which supposes NAMA is the necessary response to the financial crisis. I propose to offer in passing a general and, I hope, fair-minded critique of the NAMA project and perhaps point to a more specific problem in the Bill’s provisions, before supporting a more radical interpretation of the agency’s task which, if practically undertaken, would confer a benefit on a society to which the banks are indebted in more ways than one.

Tá sé an-tábhachtach go n-amharcfar ar an Ghaeilge mar oidhreacht gach duine sa tír, idir Caitliceach agus Protastúnach, Náisiúnaithe agus Aondachtóirí agus is cóir don Rialtas aon rud ar féidir leis a dhéanamh chun sin a chur chun cinn.

Today, as we all know, is not only Ash Wednesday but also national no smoking day, the day on which we should be speaking about cancer. The cancer statistics that have been rehearsed up to now are depressing. Twenty-nine per cent of the population smokes. We discussed at budget time the impact of adding an extra €1 to the price of cigarettes and heard the rebuttals, which focused on smuggling and such practices. Despite our best efforts, the absolute focus needed from the Government to nail the problem of smoking is not evident.

I am very sorry when I see all of this tragedy and outrage being used to further separate agendas. If Senator Bacik believes in pluralism, as she says she does, she cannot have a problem with the establishment of Catholic schools if that is what communities want, if there is support for them and provided appropriate provision is also being made for atheists and other minorities. That is real pluralism.

I wish to make a serious point to the Leader with regard to the debate he promised some weeks ago about the media. I made the point yesterday, with regard to the broadcasting of mass on Raidió na Gaeltachta, that the argument about funding simply does not hold up. The weekly mass is not a Broadway production — it is not something that is very expensive to broadcast — and the same applies to services of other religious denominations, which should be provided for.