Order of Business - 5th November 2008

Order of Business - 5th November 2008

Senator David Norris: This is such an historic day that I only wish to strike note by joining the Leader and other colleagues in congratulating US President-elect, Barack Obama. We can all breath a little more freely today, particularly those very many of us in Ireland and elsewhere who cherish human rights and decent standards. America has begun the process of rediscovering her soul and, as Senator Ó Murchú stated, re-establishing her positive status in the eyes of the world. The long night is ending and the dark cloud of criminality that has hung for the past eight years over Washington and the White House has begun to lift. I thank God for that. However, I imagine that the shredders will be busy in the Pentagon and in the White House this morning as the inhabitants of those, alas, discredited institutions begin to cover their tracks before the President-elect, Senator Obama, is obliged to clean up the Augean stables-like mess President George W. Bush will leave behind.
Senator Jerry Buttimer: It is somewhat like Drumcondra.
Senator David Norris: I echo Senator O'Toole's call for the Minister for Finance to come to the House to explain how we will address certain difficulties that may arise in the context of economic relations between Ireland and the US. A distinguished American businessman provided a sophisticated analysis of this matter and suggested that it might not all be one-way traffic. I will be interested in hearing what the Minister has to say. Strong and perhaps unusual arguments would be required to persuade the president of any country to safeguard the interests of foreign workers at the expense of his own constituents. It may be possible to do this but it will not be easy.