Political process key to making changes in society, says Harris

SEANAD REPORT:PUBLICITY DID not get things done until the political process went to work, Eoghan Harris (Ind) said.

He was referring to concerns voiced by Frances Fitzgerald (FG) about an RTÉ Prime Timeprogramme highlighting the deplorable condition of many psychiatric residential institutions.

Mr Harris said he recalled doing a programme on mental health 30 years ago and how the RTÉ switchboard had been jammed for the following three days, because it had been the first time that this issue had been aired. “But nothing changed for the better until politicians actually got to work.”

Repeating his call for a measured debate on what constituted the “political life”, he said he had been perturbed to hear some political commentators say that the George Lee issue illustrated the gap between insiders in politics and the rest of the country. That was a very pernicious doctrine.

Fidelma Healy Eames (FG) said that recommendations had been made in l999 for improvements to the care of those with mental illness. We were 11 years late in delivering them and this failure was becoming more pronounced on a daily basis as more and more of our citizens were placed at growing risk of mental problems by social and financial pressures.

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The decision by Lloyds Bank to curtail its Irish operations highlighted the renationalisation of the banking sector in Europe and we in this country must recognise that, Eugene Regan (FG) said. The two main Irish banks must play an important role in the Irish market and the economy.

Under existing legislation the Minister for Finance had extraordinary powers to restructure Irish banks, yet no indication had been forthcoming in regard to consolidation or restructuring. “There is a gap in policy formulation and initiative on the part of the Government in this area. What are the Government’s plans regarding the banking sector?”

Meanwhile, people involved with hunts were deeply concerned about the failure to exempt their dog kennels from proposed legislation. They feared having their names published by local authorities in view of the past activities of animal liberation activists, Maurice Cummins (FG) said.