Order of Business - 12th March 2009

Order of Business - 12th March 2009
Senator David Norris: I ask for a debate on the Corrib gas field. I do so in light of my considerable concern at the jailing of Ms Maura Harrington and the process which led to it. A former Minister of the Government gave this field away for nothing. The Minister concerned was subsequently jailed in the wake of a corruption scandal. He gave it away to Shell, one of the worst polluters and one of the most avid multinationals. It has been involved in incidents of pollution and was deeply implicated in the judicial murder of Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa. It literally got away with murder in Kenya and there have been explosions in many other places where it has oil terminals.
I am concerned about this and would be very sorry if, after the Garda having been enlisted on behalf of a multinational, the courts system would begin to play a role in this matter. Judges are above criticism, apparently, and we cannot even ask questions about their remuneration. They are immune from cuts. I am concerned when judges feel free to comment widely on the personality traits of somebody they are sentencing, that having witnessed the behaviour of the person involved_

Senator Joe O’Toole: She assaulted a garda.

Senator David Norris: She does not believe in her idealism because she witnessed her enjoyment of the public limelight. I wonder about the qualifications _this is not a judicial matter. She then referred Ms. Harrington for psychiatric examination in addition to jailing her for 28 days. Are we returning to eastern Europe? Is it an attempt to use psychiatry to control political expression? This is terribly dangerous territory. She slapped a garda in the face.

An Cathaoirleach: Questions to the Leader.

Senator David Norris: I had my face slapped and the person did not go to jail for 28 days. I am asking for a debate so we can ventilate all these matters.
I congratulate the Green Party. At their conference the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley said he is attempting to ensure Ireland withdraws from the European Defence Agency. I ask for a debate on this matter. I have always supported Ireland’s increasing involvement, through treaties, in the European Union. However, I campaigned against the Lisbon treaty because I failed to get any answer on the important matter of enmeshing Ireland in the international munitions for export trade. Please give me the opportunity this time to campaign in favour of the Lisbon treaty.
I also congratulate the Green Party on its announcement that television licence spongers will no longer go to jail. It was a frightful, stupid mistake. I tabled an amendment on this matter and it was ruled out of order because it might create a charge on the Exchequer.
I support Senator White and others who called for a debate on the university situation. This is a matter which should be properly discussed here. Many people have an interest in this matter, including some representatives of the graduates of the various universities, but it also highlights the fact that the Seanad would be immensely strengthened if the franchise were extended and we had representatives of the Dublin Institute of Technology and the University of Limerick in the House.
We have two universities in the top 200 in the world. We should be very glad of that. Co-operation between universities on research projects and intellectual mergers could be a good thing. I fought against the coercive merger 30 years ago of UCD and Trinity. We have all learned since then. If they can co-operate on research projects and pool their intellectual resources, why not do so? However, we need to know more about it and I support the call for such a debate.