Order of Business - 26th February 2008

Order of Business - 26th February 2008

Senator David Norris: I advise Members, in
case they have not received notification and in
light of tomorrow night’s debate on civil marriage
for gay people, that a briefing on this matter has
been organised by GLEN in the AV room.
People of different views might find it useful to
attend that.
The Leader graciously agreed to take a motion
on landmines this week if possible. I do not know
if it would be possible to take it on Thursday,
which is usually a reasonably slack day. Perhaps
he would let me know if there has been agreement
from the Minister responsible on this
matter.
I agree with what Senator Fitzgerald said about
the tragic situation of the two young Polish men.
They seem to have been decent young people. I
heard their landlord talk about them on a radio
programme yesterday. He said they were dream
tenants. The neighbours all spoke highly of them.
They went out to work early in the morning, they
were not rowdy and they kept their place spotless.
What has happened is shocking.
3 o’clock
Senator Fitzgerald is right in what she said.
There has been an astonishing increase in such
crimes. A well known academic who spoke about
this on a radio programme today
made the point that one year in the
early 1960s there were two homicides
in Ireland; the number of homicides each year is
now in the eighties. He talked of a contagion of
violence. I remember saying some years ago that
this would be an inevitable consequence of the
troubles fermented, to a certain extent, by the
republican movement, that we were all being conditioned
to violence and that there would be a
cross over. I am afraid, tragically, this is what has
happened. I do not think it is tolerable and we
must resist it and fight back against it.
I ask the Leader to consider giving time to No.
15 on the Order Paper. I will not rehearse the
whole item but it refers to the extraordinary rendition
situation. A report was issued by the Irish
Human Rights Commission but this has never
been discussed in the House. Important documents
produced by a Government agency should
be examined by the House. I hope my final point
would be a very telling one with my friends on
the Government side, many of whom took at face
value the assurances given by Condoleezza Rice
and George Bush although we all knew that they
were lying. We now have absolute proof that the
most significant of what they said was a downright
lie, despite the fact that the Americans categorically
stated that no prisoners ever went
through British territory in those planes and we
now know they have had to confess, to admit and
to acknowledge that a plane that has also used
Irish airspace — I have put its registration
number on the record of the House several times
— passed twice carrying prisoners and landed on
British sovereign territory. The lies they told the
British they are equally capable of telling to us. I
would like a debate in light of this important fact.
I wish to extend my sympathy to the Taoiseach
in his current difficulties, particularly with regard
to the quality of those who are supporting him. I
heard the Ta´ naiste, Deputy Brian Cowen, say
that Deputy Enda Kenny was like Napoleon in
Elba. That may be so, but the Duke of Wellington,
Bertie is not.
When I heard——
An Cathaoirleach: On the Order of Business,
Senator.
Senator David Norris: ——the lamented
former Senator Martin Mansergh squeaking petulantly
on the electric wireless at Senator Regan
and saying, “Respect your betters”, I recognise
the true Cromwellian flavour of certain sections
of that noble party over there.