Maurice Hayes (Independent)

Over the last month I have asked on a couple of occasions that the Minister for Health and Children provide the House with information on the basis of the expert advice he was getting in relation to SARS and the Special Olympics. I regret that this information has not been made available. It would be helpful, even at this late hour, if we knew who was coming to Ireland and under what terms, what was the perceived threat and what steps were being taken to deal with it. Incidentally, I have spent the last few days at a hugely prestigious conference of the world newspaper industry, a very important event to have in Ireland. I was delighted to see delegations from Toronto, Singapore and Beijing and wondered as to what different criteria might apply to them, as compared to the Special Olympians.

On another point, I support Senator Norris's request to have his motion and that of his colleagues embodied in the debate today. It would be helpful, if they would agree, simply to ask the American and British authorities to carry out their responsibilities under the Geneva Convention, without using the terms "occupation" and "occupying". If one is trying to influence somebody, it does not really help to use terms which they find derogatory.