Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I bow to two superior judgments and I thank Senator Phelan. Usually I try to speak across him when he interrupts, but I knew something good was coming and I was prepared to listen. Not alone is Blackrock College playing Gaelic football, but the school has a history of playing hurling. My son played on the school's soccer team in 2000.

I agree with many of Senator Ryan's sentiments. He spoke of the argument often made regarding whether we should have a sports stadium or a hospital. We should have both. Every good health programme promotes the playing of sports. We would have less crime and fewer dysfunctional juveniles if we had better sporting facilities. We would have more healthy young and middle-aged people, like our good selves, if we participated in sports instead of watching them on television. I agree with him when he said it gets under his skin to hear of ladies' football teams. I would much prefer, like him, to hear them called women's football teams. The word "ladies" conjures up something going back to Victorian times, although I love to be called a lady and I hope I usually act like one. It is better if women are referred to as women. Yesterday we debated equality. I cringe when equality matters are being spoken about and women are referred to as ladies. The proper word, "women", should be used across the board.