Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

May I raise a point of order? In the enforced absence of the Minister for Foreign Affairs we are extremely grateful that the Minister for Education and Science and the Ministers of State, Deputies Aylward and Gallagher, have been here. Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs are present in the House and I know they will take a report of this debate to the Minister.

As a former emigrant I am personally disappointed that no representative of the Labour Party or of the Independent group contributed to this debate.