David Norris (Independent)

On the same issue, Tom Hyland, who would be known to many Members, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick yesterday. That was highly appropriate. Awarding honorary degrees is a type of honours system and it is the way in which we recognise the significant achievements of people such as Tom Hyland. He has done the country such an honour that it would be an imaginative act on the part of the Taoiseach, after the next general election or if a vacancy were to arise in the House, to nominate a person such as Tom Hyland to the Seanad.

Senator Ryan raised the issue of American airlines being given advance warning of our dietary requirements. I do this as a matter of form because I like to give them the opportunity to prepare the food I like in advance and have no difficulty with it.

I have a serious matter to raise. I ask the Leader to draw to the attention of the appropriate Ministers the apparent existence of a crack cocaine source in Parnell Street which was exposed in the newspapers at the weekend. This is an extremely worrying development. Crack cocaine is a highly addictive and dangerous substance which leads to all kinds of ancillary crimes. I have warned about the worsening state of Parnell Street for several years. We have the extraordinary irony that there is a halfway house for female drug addicts in the old bakery in Parnell Street, apparently almost next door to a major source of crack cocaine.