-----but the stakeholders' forum will include people other than pilots. We are arguing that pilots need to have their own forum.

I move amendment No. 3 c : In page 44, line 1, after “Minister” to insert “and the Houses of the Oireachtas”. We are adding a provision so that the planned submission to the Minister will also be submitted to the Houses. In this way, Oireachtas committees and so on can become involved in the plan. I will not delay any further on this other than to ask the Minister of State to consider adding the words "and the Houses of the Oireachtas".

The issue of commercially sensitive details being contained in reports is being used constantly at Oireachtas committees and in the Houses. “Commercial sensitivity” is about other commercial entities. This is a problem for the Houses of the Oireachtas and the committees in the Oireachtas as much as for the Minister. We should be able to have access to information. Far too often, commercial sensitivity or commercial issues are cited to us when denied access to information. It is clear in European regulations that th…

It might not be the final one but it is a comment. I do not understand why alerting the organisations that in the business plan the regulator is about to do A, B or C or purchase A, B and C to carry out its function is an issue. Surely there is nothing wrong with people knowing they are going to be inspected. Surely there is nothing wrong with the regulator pre-advising people. It does not stop the regulator from carrying out snap inspections if that is what it wants to do. Why would we be unwilling or afraid to in…

There is an awful lot of the word "distinguished" going on here today.

Neither does anyone else.

Hear, hear.

I join with others in wishing the staff who run the Seanad well as we head towards the summer recess. Last weekend, The Irish Mail on Sunday carried a story about the Leader and me, and the Air Navigation and Transport Bill that is passing through this House at present. The article referenced the likely impact on the Leader's position as a result of the position she has taken in the House. We are Senators, not Deputies or county councillors. We are here to evaluate or appraise legislation as it passes through the H…

I appreciate that. The point I am trying to make, and this is something we should all reflect on as we go away for the summer, is about the role of the Seanad. Most of us are proud to be in this House. Its role is to challenge the Government, to look at Government legislation as it works its way through, to initiate legislation and to bring topical matters of concern to the nation to this House. I found it particularly difficult to read the article on Sunday because I know how deeply committed the Leader is to her …

I thank the Minister for coming to the House for this debate. My colleague made the point that some of us have received emails referring to our vote in favour of the Bill on Second Stage. No amendment could be moved on that Stage. Unfortunately, there are people playing politics with this issue, which involves a devastating situation for families all over the country. We want to see a resolution of the problem as quickly as possible. Playing politics certainly will not resolve the issue for anybody. It might get pe…

Just let me finish off. At the end of the day, we want to see the families compensated as best we can. I am not going to say a whole lot more. The amendment we tabled stands for itself. I ask the Minister to accept it and I am willing to listen to his response.

I rise this morning a happy man for once with regard to the Defence Forces. A great piece of work was done by the Department in bringing forward the changes that are coming. It is a great day for the Reserve Defence Forces and private soldiers who will see substantial increases in their income. It gives great hope for the future. There always has to be a down side and with such a large project and the negotiations that will have led to this, one or two areas need further attention. The first is to reverse the FEMPI…

I hope this is not another Tipperary thing.

I knew it would be about Tipperary.

Amendment No. 1 relates to a group elected by their peers as a student union. The Minister might clear up one issue for me. As I know from my trade union days, there is always a risk of fringe groups. I would hope the direction the HEA would give in the establishment of a student union is that it would be all-encompassing and that special interest groups would be encompassed within the union, and I would have no difficulty with the union being set up on that basis. Any student body that would allow a student union …

I will speak very briefly. I can see where Senator Malcolm Byrne was coming from with respect to amendment No. 51, but I am a little concerned that an t-údarás may be silenced by a Minister, while the heads of higher education institutions may voice their views. I may be wrong, but that is my understanding. The Minister might clarify the position for me. Is it possible that the president of a university might have some negative comments to make about higher education policy, and is there a likelihood then, given th…

Amendment No. 70 deals with-----

But I never spoke on amendment No. 70.

Come on now.

Looking at the grouping it is very hard to see how one can jump from one place to another place. I was trying to facilitate debate with the Minister that would follow some sort of sequence.