Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I am sure Senators will join me in marking the 40th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy which took place on Saturday, 22 November 1963. Some five months before his death the President graced the Houses with his presence at a joint sitting of the Dáil and Seanad. My father was honoured to be a Member of the Upper House at that time and was present in the Chamber for it so it has a resonance in my family, as it has in many others on both sides of the House. Perhaps the Leader will commend RTE, even if it was just a short clip on "The Week in Politics" programme last night. It brought back many memories for those who remember that time. I compliment Peadar Lawless, the former head usher, who was featured in the programme but why he was outside the gates of Leinster House rather than inside is a question somebody might answer. Will the Leader consider suggesting to RTE that it do a programme at the end of this year showing this archive material because we only see clips of it from time to time?

I wish to mark yet another atrocity that has taken place, this time in Istanbul, since the House last met. Yet again the world was visited by indescribable horror. One had only to look at the images conveyed from Istanbul and Italy in recent days, showing grieving families, girlfriends who lost their boyfriends and mothers who lost their sons, to wonder when it will stop. The Minister, Deputy Cowen, is currently in Africa and I compliment him on stating that Africa will be brought to the top of the agenda during the EU Presidency. Given what is happening in the world today, and when one thinks of what happened in 1963 it seems like an age of innocence in comparison, will the Leader invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the House before the end of the year so we can debate these international issues? Ireland is taking on a more important role from January as EU President than it has ever done in the past. In that context, the Leader might consider allocating time before the recess for a debate on the international situation.