David Norris (Independent)

Will the Leader give an indication of when we might take motion No. 18 in the names of the Independent Senators? The motion notes the favourable report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport which investigated the proposal for a metro in Dublin, a project in which this House has taken a consistent interest.

I support Senator Morrissey and I regard it as commendable of him. It shows he is a man of conscience and is prepared to raise these questions which are not comfortable for Government, although every Government has to deal with them. It is extraordinary that so many modern facilities all over the country are lying idle and are not staffed.

There was a classic case in the past few days of a man waiting several days on a hospital trolley. He went to the lavatory and his trolley was taken. The nursing staff suggested he find another trolley for himself. Matters have reached a terrible state of pressure.

I support my colleagues with regard to the granting of visas. An impressive list was given by Senator Henry. International academic conferences often encounter this trouble. A distinguished young woman from Beirut, who is a Joycean scholar, was arbitrarily refused a visa, presumably because they saw the word Beirut and associated it with being a hot spot 20 years ago. My office made representations and she was immediately given a visa. She was pathetically grateful but it made me feel that we are presenting ourselves as a Third World country if a proper vetting system is not in place.

I ask the Leader to seek an opinion from the Attorney General on the status of President Bush while he is in this country. Some senior lawyers have suggested he might be vulnerable to arrest because he has clearly broken international law. He has broken the precepts of the Nuremberg trials by declaring an unprovoked, aggressive war. He has broken his own domestic law, international law and human rights law. Many people are of the opinion that he could be indicted under Irish law which requires that people involved in torture are investigated. There is no doubt he was involved in torture, despite the recent squirting out of a smokescreen about torture in the past day. I wish to know his status. I am not asking the Attorney General to arrest him but, on a legal point, is he vulnerable theoretically to arrest on Irish soil?