Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is quite obvious. When we stop and look at the map, it tells the story. More than two thirds of us are new politicians who were elected for the first time in the most recent general election. Two committee members have been here longer. While we have had discussions on CERN, we have never had such a comprehensive discussion. I had never seen the medical side of it. Sometimes it needs to be spelled out and it is very welcome to hear it. I am sure the possibilities for Irish researchers, students and engineers to partake in CERN, if Ireland was a member, would be wide open.