David Norris (Independent)

Would it be possible to consider, in advance, a matter for the autumn schedule? I realise it is not practical to seek a debate within the next week, although it concerns a rather serious matter. I refer to the report on crime prevention by the national crime task force, in relation to which I believe this House could play a very useful role.

The report is a very important and significant one. The two main recommendations are that we should move towards non-custodial sentences, community service and so on, as well as – this is critical – investing in extra teachers in deprived areas of our country. In this House, I and others have made this point repeatedly, particularly with regard to the Breaking the Cycle programme in places such as the north inner city area of Dublin, where wonderful, lovely young children are given a chance, which is then snatched away from them a couple of years later. The programme should continue right up to third level.

My reason for raising the issue arises from a discussion I heard on a radio programme this morning, in the course of which the report was described as being full of good ideas which will probably not be implemented because there will not be enough money available. That issue must be tackled. Implementation of the recommendations in the report will actually save money – that is beyond doubt. We, in Seanad Éireann, could do a useful job in this regard, perhaps by carrying out some research over the summer period, contacting the agencies concerned and demonstrating to Government that, over a period of three, five or ten years, action on this report would actually save money to the Exchequer. More importantly than money, it would benefit the lives and well-being of young people.

I ask the Deputy Leader to extend my congratulations and, I feel sure, those of all Senators, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, on his perfectly appropriate visit to Yasser Arafat yesterday. I am a strong supporter of the State of Israel, but not of its present government whose attitude is outrageous and infantile. How dare those people dictate to an Irish Minister as to whom he can, or cannot, visit? How childish to tell our Minister he should go home and return on a separate occasion, on the basis that they will not meet him in a situation where he has been tainted by Arafat. It is time those concerned in Israel grew up. Our Minister, Deputy Cowen, is to be congratulated.

I stand with those wonderful Israeli citizens who protest against the building of the wall which represents an attempt to grab land, expropriating it from the Palestinians. I stand with those wonderful Israeli soldiers, of whom there are hundreds, who have defied their Government by refusing to carry out actions they regard as transgressing the civil rights of their Palestinian neighbours. We should bear that in mind. We must keep the spotlight on that area to ensure we know what is going on and, perhaps, have some little influence on it.