Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator McHugh also praised my party's new found humility.

Senator Kitt also raised Aer Lingus and Shannon Development in the mid-west region. These are major issues which I hope the House will have an opportunity to debate in full.

Senator Quinn referred to honouring the national flag. I do not believe that lowering the flag at sunset is a colonial tradition with people going off afterwards to have their gin and tonics or whatever. I have noticed that the flag is also lowered in barracks and similar places. The Senator said the idea originated in former British colonies.

Senator Quinn also raised the issue of modern technology and the potential for electronically tagging people who should be in jail. He also mentioned intelligent speed adaptation. While I have not yet read the article in question, the scheme to which he referred appears to be a sensible course of action if we had a cohort of people willing to take part in it here.

Senator Bannon referred to Teagasc and confusing letters issued by the Department of Agriculture and Food concerning extensification. I raised the matter with the Deputy Leader who explained the extensification system to me. I was aware that it allows one to make better use of one's land and one gets more bang for one's buck.

Senator Tuffy raised the use of Oireachtas envelopes. Members may use their envelopes when writing to constituents, as we all know. Articles have appeared in the newspapers which seem to imply that somehow we should not use them.

It is the misuse of Oireachtas envelopes that has given rise to this debate but Oireachtas Members can use them for correspondence with their constituents.