Order of Business - 26th January 2010.

Order of Business - 26th January 2010
Senator David Norris: I am glad the motion I proposed on head shops has been given all-party support. There was some misunderstanding between myself and Senator O’Toole because I asked him to get agreement on this. I do not like the idea that we will pass the motion without discussion. I will not accept this and I will vote against the Order of Business unless we get a clear commitment and a firm date for this discussion. The debate has been started in a fine way by Senator O’Toole but there is much to be said about this matter. Drugs are sold uncontrolled, are highly addictive and can create at least medium-term psychotic episodes. The people selling them do not know what is in them. They are selling highly addictive drugs, one of which is cocaine with one molecule changed. This gets around the law. I heard a doctor make a couple of very good points this morning. In a restaurant everything is quality controlled and food and safety people monitor it even though the produce is only going into one’s stomach. These drugs go directly to people’s brains but there is no regulation. I must ask for a firm date on the debate.


An Cathaoirleach: Is Senator Norris seconding Senator O’Toole’s proposal?


Senator David Norris: No, I am not. Not unless we get a commitment. Someone else can second it but if I did I would be contradicting what I said.

I am glad to see the motion on Haiti, in the name of the Government. It is very important that we do this. I was interested to hear an Italian earthquake expert noting that one of the difficulties is the number of groups trying to create what he called a bella figura. They are performing for the world stage. That happened tragically in Haiti before, after the typhoon or the tornado hit it. World leaders were queueing up to promise hundreds of millions of dollars but none of that came true. The Irish people have contributed magnificently and Hollywood has contributed an enormous amount of money. Thank God for that but we should bear in mind what was said by those two remarkable Irish women, Dr. Louise Ivers and Ms Gena Heraghty. I was proud to the Irish when I saw what they were doing. This was a film shown by RTE but recorded before the typhoon struck. They talked about the appalling conditions and the human solidarity with the suffering people. They were cradling children in their arms and saying that every human being has the right to be protected and to be shown solidarity on the difficult journey through life. It was only by accident that it was not them in that place. We must examine the history. I did not realise that after the revolution in 1804 the French crucified them for daring to throw off the yoke. They made them pay reparations until 1949.

I welcome the fact that part of the Oireachtas is moving out of here down to another noble institution, Trinity College. There will be an important debate involving Members of the Oireachtas. We have all been invited and I hope many will go. It is an important opportunity to make our case to the public. It could not be a more auspicious day. As the Cathaoirleach knows, that day, 2 February, is not only the day of the historic meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution in Trinity College, it is also James Joyce’s 128th birthday.