Order of Business - 20th October 2005

Order of Business – 20th October 2005
Mr. Norris: I deplore the return to the neurotic obsession of certain sections of Fianna Fáil with RTE. In the old days it was said it was full of communists and stickies and now it is said they are all capitalists. We would be foolish to undermine our national broadcaster.
Mr. B. Hayes: Hear, hear.
Mr. Norris: It is perfectly reasonable from time to time for there to be criticism of it, but we should not destroy public service broadcasting here, as has happened in other countries. We need only look next door to Britain and the way the Government there tried to undermine the BBC. We should not let that happen here. We get a very good service from the national broadcaster. When we want to highlight issues, such as the referendum on Europe, we rely on RTE. If we did not have it and only had the commercial stations, we would never get a message across. We also need to generate employment in our own local programming, script writing and acting. We should not weaken what is a great national institution simply because of some momentary irritation. That would be fatal.
Mr. Leyden: The Senator has his own show on it.
Mr. Norris: No, but the Senator practically has. He is on it every bloody night. I do not know what he is squawking about, he is just looking for another headline.
A meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges is scheduled. Will the Deputy Leader confirm that the question I have repeatedly raised - and in respect of which I would say that there is support across this House, although for obvious reasons everybody cannot be upfront about it - about extending the time allocated for the Order of Business will be raised?
Mr. Coghlan: Hear, hear.
Mr. Norris: It is the most vital element of our business, the one that is covered by the media and the one in which people are most interested. Why do we not go with the flow, as they say, and accept the reality, instead of impotently trying to curtail it? We say that a half an hour is allocated for it but I suggest the time allocated should be extended to 45 minutes or an hour. Every sitting day the Order of Business continues for 45 minutes and that includes the introduction.
Mr. Dardis: That is 45 minutes that the Senator wants for himself.
Mr. Norris: Let us be realistic and honest about this. Can the Leas-Chathaoirleach me a guarantee that this matter will be on the-----
An Leas-Chathaoirleach: That is an issue the Senator can take up with the leader of his group.
Mr. Norris: We do not have a leader. We appear to have a new leader in Senator Coonan; that is one up for us. Can we have an extra chair?
An Leas-Chathaoirleach: The Senator has a representative on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges with whom he can raise this matter. I believe it is Senator O'Toole.
Mr. Norris: My representative will raise it. It is a matter that would add to the strength and visibility of the business of the House.
With regard to road safety, I agree with Senator Ryan. We should have a review of it but it is unnecessary to have a debate on the issue four times a year because the Joint Committee on Transport can examine the matter.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach: Has the Senator another point to make?
Mr. Norris: Yes, I am speaking about the debate that has been called for by Senator Ryan. I support it but it is unnecessary to debate the issue four times a year. I have just come from the Joint Committee on Transport which was dealing with the issue of safety. Mr. Shaw appeared before it. There are serious issues that need to be addressed in this area that are not always addressed on the Order of Business. We have had several recent tragedies. People start talking about heavy goods vehicles in this context but they have nothing to do with these situations. There is a recurring situation that we need to address. It is that of young people in the early hours of a Sunday morning, perhaps intoxicated with drink or drugs, driving high powered cars possibly on roads that are in a bad state of repair-----
Mr. Dardis: The Senator is debating the issue.
Mr. Norris: -----on their way home from a nightclub.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach: Is the Senator seeking a debate on this issue?
Mr. Norris: I am supporting Senator Ryan's request for one.
I had intended to seek a debate on Iraq but at the moment this is not a good idea because we have a muddied situation that needs to be explored. I cannot say that I extend sympathy to Mr. Carroll, for whom I have high respect as I do for his father, because one hopes and believes that because he appears to have been taken by the militia of Moqtada al-Sadr he has a good chance of surviving and coming back home. I very much hope this happens. However, it is tragic and ironic that he should be taken on the anniversary of the kidnapping of Margaret Hassan who was a noble, decent and good woman, as Mr. Carroll is a decent, good and efficient reporter. I wish for his safety.