Order of Business - 27th February 2008

Order of Business - 27th February 2008

Senator David Norris: I support Senator
O’Toole’s comments in respect of the morningafter
pill. I was astonished to discover that a
majority of young women who approach the
medical authorities do not, because they were so
drunk, know with whom they had sex or if they
had sex. This behaviour places in context the
Private Members’ debate to take place later.

There are people who do not want to allow
respectable gay couples to marry and this is
despite the fact that certain individuals from the
group of which they are members engage in such
questionable behaviour.
I agree with Senator McFadden on the Navan
school bus tragedy. It would be extraordinary if
this case were to be postponed for a year simply
because a courthouse is not available. Surely
some facility could be rented to allow the case
to proceed.
Will the Leader make time available for a
debate on homelessness? I am sure Members on
all sides will agree with my request in this regard.
I do not like to appear to be continually attacking
or undermining the HSE. The executive is
extremely large, is obliged to make difficult
decisions and has limited resources. It was disturbing
to hear Dr. Austin O’Carroll state on
radio this morning that everything has been put
on hold, that there will be no new investment and
that the provision of a 32-bed transition facility
for homeless people being discharged from
hospital will not now proceed. It is incredible
that, in the 21st century, citizens of our wealthy
country continue to be discharged straight from
hospital back onto the streets, where they may

well die. This is despite the wonderful work done
by people such as Alice Leahy.
I am seeking information regarding the ultimate
destination of this noble House. It is
obvious that we cannot transfer operations to the
Natural History Museum because it would not be
appropriate to do so. There are some extremely
valuable exhibits in the museum that would have
to be dismantled if the Seanad were to move
there. It is extraordinary that we should be
moved from a building that may be dangerous
into one which is obviously dangerous.
I previously raised the notion, not in a completely
jocular way, of the Seanad transferring its
operations to the former Houses of Parliament
building on College Green which is currently
owned and occupied by the Bank of Ireland. If
this option is being considered, one of my neighbours
informed me this morning that when the
building was sold to the bank, the Government of
the day meanly included a proviso that it must
never again be used for parliamentary purposes.
The idea behind this was to neuter the Irish Parliament.
Would it not be a fine gesture of republican
defiance in respect of the Act of Union 1800
to introduce in Seanad E´ ireann legislation to
reverse the proviso to which I refer?
Senators: Hear, hear.
Senator Jerry Buttimer: Spoken like a true
Republican.
Senator David Norris: I am a true Republican.