Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I support Senator Lydon's request for a debate on stem cell research. There is a question regarding whether we adhere to the position we take in European debates on the issue. The science is expanding at such a rate that it is not possible to wait for a Supreme Court decision which may not move us much further down the line. Therefore, a debate would be appropriate.

I also add modest support to Senator Quinn's call for a rethink of our national anthem. The national anthem was fine for its time and expressed the spirit of that time. However, I am not sure it still expresses the ethos of the nation, which is largely pacifist and anti-violence. I find it difficult to explain to my children living in the North the importance of abjuring violence and the futility of armed struggle while at the same time encouraging them to sing the national anthem. The same is true of other national anthems. The Marseillaise is an absolutely bloody affair and if one goes past the first stanza of God Save the Queen it is horribly sectarian and narrow. These anthems have had their day. The spirit of the nation is rather different now and it is time to move on.