Order of Business - 21st February 2008

Order of Business - 21st February 2008

Senator David Norris: I wish to ask the Leader
whether we can have a discussion in the coming
weeks on Ireland’s heritage, particularly the vital
role played by the Irish Georgian Society. It is
appropriate that this issue be raised today
because this is the 50th anniversary of the Irish
Georgian Society set up by Desmond and Mariga
Guinness. This is especially relevant to Senators
in this beautiful part of Leinster House. Desmond
Guinness was incited to start the Georgian
Society by the vandalism perpetrated next door
to here when two magnificent 18th century
houses in Kildare Place were destroyed on the
instructions of the Government to the great disadvantage
of the Irish people and to the disservice
of culture. It was done as a specific, deliberate,
wilful and gleeful act of vandalism as was clearly
indicated by the fact that the Minister for
Defence at the time, the late Kevin Boland,
stated he was glad to see them go as they stood
for everything he hated. This is astonishing, crude
and ignorant in its way.
Prior to this we had the destruction of Coole
Park. What an extraordinary reward for Lady
Gregory. The Gore Booths were hounded out of
Lissadell and their few pathetic acres of land
taken from them and administered in an appalling
way. I heard on radio a local representative,
I believe from Sinn Fe´ in, state they deserved this
because they had walked over the Irish people
when their mouths were stained green from the
grass they had been eating. This was a deliberate
and calculated lie. These people bankrupted
themselves at the time of the famine feeding the
people.
We need to understand the complexity of our
history and pay tribute to people such as
Desmond and Mariga Guinness and review what
is happening now. Thanks to the Georgian
Society, its members derided as though they were

only belted earls, Castletown and Roundwood in
County Laois were saved. Vernon Mount near
Cork is in imminent peril.
I call for a debate on East Timor and this is an
appropriate time to do so because the Minister
for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, is
there at present. The country recently had a traumatic
episode when the Prime Minister, Jose´
Ramos-Horta, was shot and severely injured. I
am pleased to state that today, for the first time,
he has regained consciousness. Tom Hyland is
also there in a semi-official capacity. He has represented
his country with great dignity and pleaded
the cause there.
We should have an opportunity to congratulate
the Government on its vision in establishing the
conflict resolution unit in the Department of
Foreign Affairs. Its first mission will be in East
Timor and I welcome the appointment of Nuala
O’Loan as she is a most wonderful woman who

can only do good.
This is an extraordinary day as far as I am concerned
because for the first time — and it is traumatic
— I find myself in agreement with Michael
O’Leary. I never thought the day would come.
On RTE radio this morning he was absolutely
right in what he said about the air traffic controllers
dispute. The person representing the trade
union movement did a disservice in refusing to
answer the questions which were asked and in
seeking 15% for air traffic controllers to be on
standby before overtime money is received. RTE
did a damn good job in putting him in a corner
and extracting the answer. It is a day of woe for
me when I find intellectual rigour compels me to
agree with Michael O’Leary.