John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I join other Senators who expressed happiness that we can discuss this issue in the House today. I thank the Leader for arranging the debate and compliment her on the remarks she has just made about the situation in which she found herself. We have had a fairly free discussion on this important issue today. Senator O'Rourke said that when she went to her first council meeting she was told not to speak for six months. When I went to my first council meeting as a 20 year old I was told not to speak for the first year because I needed to learn my way before——