Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I would like to support the request put by Senator John Whelan that we send our sympathy to the family of Jim Stynes in Melbourne. He is a wonderful example of an Irishman who contributed so much to his adopted country, particularly Melbourne. I would also like to be associated with the proposal made by Senators Thomas Byrne and David Norris to send our sympathy to the people of Toulouse following the horrible murders there of innocent children and others. A rabbi and his two children were assassinated by this anti-semitic individual. Hopefully, he will be caught and brought to justice.

Senator Norris made a point with regard to an issue highlighted last night on "Prime Time". This relates to genetic material which has been stored over a long period from blood samples taken in heel prick tests. I cannot understand why the Data Protection Commissioner, Billy Hawkes, and the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, would decide to destroy some of this invaluable information. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children should be given the opportunity to study the issue before this action is taken. The information is invaluable and I cannot understand why the Data Information Commissioner should interfere in this issue. The information has a long-term effect and could be of benefit to many people in the future if stored carefully and safely in Dublin. I commend "Prime Time" on its excellent programme highlighting this. The Minister should decide to prevent the destruction of this information, which is crucial to future research, before it is destroyed.