Brendan Ryan (Labour)

Most of this debate has been conducted in a reasonably constructive spirit. The voters of Westmeath decisively answered the Senator who commented on the role of the Labour Party by coming down on the side of my party chairman, particularly in Mullingar. That argument in Westmeath is over and it is time it ended here because we wish to engage in serious political debate.

Much of the time I disagree with the Minister, who is especially clever at casting clouds of obfuscation while leaving his listeners wondering what he is talking about. However, he at least addresses the issues. The opening words of the motion call on the House to recognise that Ireland has one of the highest death rates from breast cancer in Europe. In its amendment, Fianna Fáil has removed those words, yet the Minister indicated his acceptance that cancer mortality rates in this country are out of line with European data. That is why I and my colleagues on this side of the House have good reason to respect him. He is capable of addressing real arguments and he avoids play-acting about what the Labour Party or the rainbow coalition Government did five, six or seven years ago when the country was half as rich as it is now.