Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator Swanick. I think he is to be lauded for his efforts in this regard in the past number of months. I think it is unfortunate that the National Treasury Management Agency and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund have been investing taxpayer's money in three tobacco companies while at the same time, tobacco companies have been threatening to sue this State as a result of the efforts it is making to stop young people from taking up this deadly habit.

I support the call by my colleague, Senator Leyden, that the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment be called to the House, to discuss both the particular issue he raised in regard to the potential breach of the boundaries in County Roscommon and the urgent need for a constitutional referendum on the Lower House in order that there can be positive discrimination towards rural Ireland. The sooner that is done, the better. If the population growth continues to occur on the east coast and in the major urban areas, rural Ireland will end up with very few Members of the Dáil or Seanad. I urge that we debate this as soon as possible when we come back in the new year.

I wish to clarify an issue raised by Senator Conway-Walsh for the benefit of the House. She is indeed, correct and I have already apologised to the Sinn Féin Whip, Senator Paul Gavan, on Wednesday last. I indicated to Senator Gavan that the Fianna Fáil Party would support his motion, not a Bill. However, on closer examination, it was indicated to a colleague of mine - unfortunately I was not available due to personal reasons that afternoon - that we would prefer to examine in more detail a definition of what exactly the diaspora is and set the cut-off point. Does everybody who has an Irish passport and who may never have been on the island of Ireland have a vote for the presidential election? There were concerns.

I apologised to the Chief Whip of the Sinn Féin Party and I am doing so again in this House. He is not to blame.There was a concern that we should look at the motion, rather than the Bill, in more detail. That is why it was decided that we should vote with the amendment. That is the situation as far as I am concerned. There is no hidden agenda. As a party, we are still totally committed to giving votes to our diaspora. It is important that we identify exactly what the diaspora is before we go any further.