John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I support calls for debates on employment, as I am particularly cognisant that the House could play a unique role in this regard. We see today that the United Kingdom is taking the route we took two years ago, proving again that the downturn is largely global and affects all countries, not only Ireland.

There are circumstances in which taxation becomes so regressive that it does not make sense. I have in mind the VAT rate applied to wind turbines that could be built on farms. The rate charged could be set aside, as such turbines are not economic over the ten year life cycle, whereas banks would lend for a shorter term if the price was right. The ESB also offers a guaranteed price for wind generated power. Wind turbines have a value for the construction industry, produce income and offer import substitution vis-À-vis oil. Wind power offers a win-win scenario for everyone concerned. We need to examine issues such as this.

While I support Senators who yesterday condemned the abuse of the Irish passport, there is a distinction between the two cases that have arisen. In one instance, we believe Irish passports were used by the Israelis in an assassination, while in the second it appears an Irish passport was used by spies. It amuses me that the spy with the Irish passport was named Murphy and had a Russian accent. One would have thought this would be a giveaway. There is a distinction, however, between the uses to which Irish passports were put in both cases. In one case, a person was assassinated which was not the case in the second.