Order of Business - 12th March 2008

Order of Business - 12th March 2008
Senator David Norris: That was the most splendid piece of rhetoric but I agree with the thrust of what he said. Ireland Inc. needs to be represented. The publicity that is gained, the highlighting of our success, our industry and everything of which we can be proud is an important function of Government and we should not be cheese-paring about it.
People need to arrive in good condition. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. I have not been on one of its visits or trips - what the newspapers call junkets - for quite a number of years, but we discussed the question of transport. All members, including the Fine Gael members, agreed that whereas it was reasonable for short trips to look at taking a more modest place in the aeroplane, for very long trips when one is expected to arrive and go immediately into a press conference, it is important to have as much comfort as possible to be efficient, not to be luxurious.
I also laughed when Senator Harris referred to the garrison mentality and the idea of who do they think they are. I must admit I came across a certain amount of that in my family. On the day I was elected to this august House, my elderly aunt had to be informed. I telephoned her and she said wearily that she could not understand why I wanted to mix with those people. She had not thought of what they thought about of having to mix with me and I was in those days a very controversial figure in Irish public life.
A Senator: Some things never change.
An Cathaoirleach: Please ask a question to the Leader on the Order of Business.
Senator David Norris: I support strongly Senator Coghlan on the matter of the groceries order. A number of us stood up against its abolition stating nothing would change or prices would increase and that commercial life, especially for small business people, would be seriously damaged. I believe that has happened. Even worse, it has facilitated alcoholic drink offers if not below-cost selling of alcohol. We need to look at this again. Those of us who raised questions about it at that time have been extraordinarily justified by the statement by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin. In fact, Senator Coghlan anticipated something I was going to say.
Owing to other matters, I did not get an opportunity yesterday, which was the first sitting day after the appalling event, to raise the slaughter of students in Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
I am critical of the Israeli state. I am critical of the settlers - Yeshiva has connections with the settlers - but that is absolutely no justification to go into what is effectively a school and slaughter innocent young people. I unreservedly condemn it. I put this in a press statement I issued, but it has never been taken up. I do not believe I can be pilloried, as I sometimes am, as being unfair and not even-minded with regard to this situation when routinely this kind of material is not taken up by the press. It was also a tragic day for Palestinians because they have an unanswerable moral case about the conditions in Gaza and the disproportionate use of military intervention against them. The action of that lone gunman in Jerusalem has made the position of persons like myself who wish to fight for their human rights immensely more difficult. I extend my sympathies to the families of those young people whose lives were so wilfully taken from them.