Alex White (Labour)

I agree with Senator Coghlan's call for a debate on the waste management issue. I am not sure if what Senator Boyle said is particularly helpful in terms of the ESRI report. It is true the ESRI is an economic research body, but for anyone to suggest that the management of waste and environmental matters is not an economic issue is absurd. Of course it is an economic issue, and it is quite legitimate that the ESRI should produce this report. By all means let us have it debated.

We all appreciate the pressure the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, is under in relation to the constituency aspect of this. However, there is a wider interest in terms of the waste management of the country which transcends any local or constituency interest. For that purpose there ought to be a debate in this House. It is remarkable that the Minister's Cabinet colleagues are so silent on this issue, given the pressure he appears to be under. The silence from his colleagues is really deafening in relation to any suggestion of support for him.

I support what Senator Bacik said about last night's debate in Trinity College Dublin. I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution, it was an excellent debate and it was important that the committee should go there. I compliment the department of political science, TCD and the students there on the enormous contribution they made for a most stimulating evening. Senator Mooney indicated that there is a wider issue of political reform to be addressed here, and I believe he is right.

Others have referred to the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting last night, which is where most of the debate seems to be going on about all the issues of concern to the public.