Michael McCarthy (Labour)

I join Senators Cummins and Glynn regarding the issue they raised. It is unspeakable that people can get away with claiming in an advertisement that they can cure such critical illnesses as cancers and strokes. When I listened to a radio programme during the week, I heard the story of a person who lost a loved one to cancer approximately two years ago. The person, who was rational and logical, said that in the height of their desperation and sorrow they would have been tempted to contact these people to try to avail of the hope which was being offered. It is unforgivable that the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland only has guidelines which are not necessarily cast in stone. This matter needs to be debated and examined with a view to introducing punishments for those who claim to offer cures for illnesses such as those I have mentioned and who take advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable.

I congratulate the Deputies who were promoted yesterday and are now Ministers and Ministers of State. I pay tribute to my constituency colleague, the former Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Joe Walsh. I made my views known around the time of his announcement. He will be remembered for his skilful negotiation of the Common Agricultural Policy. The manner in which he defended this country against the blight of foot and mouth disease was very skilful. Ireland would have suffered a massive disaster if that had not been the case. I estimate that he was appointed to the Cabinet on four occasions between 1992 and June 2002. He spent five years as a Minister of State. It is a major tribute to anyone to have been a Member of the House for 27 years and to have spent almost 15 years as a Minister.