Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I ask the Leader to request the Minister for Health and Children to come to the House for a debate on the cancer report, perhaps in the context of a wider debate involving the Hanly report and other documents. I generally support that report. I am sorry that Senator Finucane is not here. It is not out of sympathy for his very heartfelt plea for Limerick, but simply because one cannot pluck oncologists out of the air. We will be very lucky if we manage to develop four cancer centres for the country in the next five to ten years. I support Senator Lydon's request for a debate on stem cell research, which carries huge ethical and other connotations. I support Senator Dardis in asserting the vital importance of a debate on the report of the Convention on the Future of Europe. It is important that the Seanad should establish itself as an important locus of debate for that.

If Members will indulge me for a moment in a small personal matter, the other day we paid tribute to former Senator Louis Walsh and in my pride in the achievements of a fellow Ulster man I had a slight rush of blood to the head of the sort which caused me last night to confuse the senatorial representatives of the holy and undivided Trinity. I paid tribute to Mr. Louis J. Walsh, who was an even more distinguished man.