On behalf of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children, I attended a meeting on stem cell research on 15 and 16 September 2003, which was organised by the UK Medical Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Department of Trade and Industry. I was amazed at the progress that had been made in a few years in the use of adult, foetal and embryonic stem cells in the treatment of many conditions, a number of which are serious. Since that meeting, I have read as much as possible on the subject.