Order of Business - 23rd May 2006

Order of Business - 23rd May 2006


Mr. Norris: In the comments on the situation
in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, although the Minister
for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the
Garda Commissioner have been widely congratulated,
there has been no mention of the dean and
staff of the cathedral. I compliment them on the
sensitive and Christian way in which they
behaved. I regret that they were fairly strongly
sidelined at a particular point, which is clear from
a statement in which they stated they were
instructed by the Department of Justice, Equality
and Law Reform to withdraw their negotiator.
They felt they had reached a set of fair and equitable
proposals but were told to get out of the
situation by the Garda. Nevertheless, I recognise
gardaı´ behaved extremely well and that no harm
was caused to any of the people involved.
I am also glad — I am sure the Cathaoirleach
will also be glad — that the institution of the
guardian ad litem was called into play to help the
younger people in this situation. The Cathaoirleach
will probably recall that this was an amendment
to the Child Care Bill introduced by
Senator Ryan and me. No mention of that
appeared in the media at the time, although it
took nearly a month for us to argue the toss. This
shows the way in which the work of the Seanad
is sometimes ignored in the media.
Some of those involved seem to have a rather
mixed background, if it is true that one of them
gave as his reasons for seeking asylum the fact
that he had raped and murdered four women
while a member of the Taliban. It does not seem
a particularly good reason for getting asylum in
this country. However, they are a mixed group.
It is wrong to suggest we have a wonderful asylum
appeals system. We do not. There is a case
before the High Court at present in this regard.
There is no publication——
An Cathaoirleach: Senator Norris——
Mr. Norris: There is one gentleman who is
openly boasting that he has not let one person in.
An Cathaoirleach: If the Senator seeks a
debate, we will discuss all the issues.
Mr. Norris: In that case, I will take the
Cathaoirleach’s good advice and seek a debate
where we can make such points and also point
out that, unusually, there is no publication of
these decisions or the reasons for them.
An Cathaoirleach: The Senator has elaborated
sufficiently.
Mr. Norris: I agree with Senator O’Toole that
those of us who have consistently opposed the
war in Iraq should find some dignified way of
making this clear to Mr. Howard, who apparently
has learned nothing from the lessons his Government
should have learned from its disgraceful and
immoral involvement in the disfoliation of the
defenceless country of East Timor. Of course,
that will not cause any inconvenience to this
Government because it also seems to lack a sense
of morality, as evidenced by the fact it can be so
easily bought — bought by the Americans over
Shannon and by the Chinese for financial
rewards.
I call for a debate on the motion on China and
Tibet, listed in our names on the Order Paper,
because it is important that the House discusses
the question of whether it is fashionable to have
ethics in foreign policy. We have a situation
where the Chinese are apparently harvesting
organs from live people in concentration camps.
An Cathaoirleach: I think the Senator——
Mr. Norris: There is clear prima facie evidence
of this and yet——
An Cathaoirleach: There are other Senators
wishing to contribute on the Order of Business.
Mr. Norris: ——our Government is
responding——
An Cathaoirleach: The Senator has made his
point adequately.
Mr. Norris: ——not by criticising but by opposing
giving Taiwan observer status at the UN.