Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator Brian Hayes raised the issue of electronic voting. Both Opposition parties have brought forward papers on the subject and have requested a debate. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, would be interested in speaking in the House on the matter. He is not well at present, but I will ask him to come to the House for such a debate soon.

The Opposition called for an arts debate yesterday. This is a good call, particularly in this centenary year of the Abbey Theatre. Senator O'Toole raised the issue of Bartragh Island. The divergence of opinion on the issue is interesting. Everybody has their own opinion. I was surprised to hear people were against a plan which I thought sounded good. Senator Ryan urged caution on the matter of golf courses. Where there are good golf courses people, particularly tourists, have come to play and have brought a lot of money to local areas. Senator Ryan also raised the topic of third level colleges, particularly the cutbacks in research, and stressed the necessity of research for third level colleges. The Senator also discussed the matter of the Sinn Féin leaflet which, I believe, is of a local nature. He asked which was the real Sinn Féin, the one that co-exists with other parties or the one that wishes to root out everybody else. Perhaps the Senator might show the leaflet to me, as I have not seen it.