Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator Brian Hayes, the Leader of the Opposition, raised the matter of hospitals and the circumstances that obtain in accident and emergency departments. He asked that the Tánaiste come to the House to speak about the plan she is putting together, to which she referred last night in the Dáil. I have no doubt she will create a plan and come to the House to discuss it. As the Senator stated, a package of measures is needed urgently. I have no doubt about that. I am conscious that the Tánaiste sought the post she now holds; if she were not totally committed she would not seek to put herself in such a position. I have no doubt that she will get working on the problems raised.

The Senator also raised the abduction of Margaret Hassan and the irony that the captors of Mr. Bigley demanded the release of Iraqi women in detention but have now detained a woman.

Senator O'Toole contended that the House should be permitted to debate motions that return from committee. I always feel a sense of unease when declaring that an item should be taken without debate because I believe it is very peremptory and dictatorial. I said before that if any Member wishes to have a debate on a motion on the Order Paper that has come back from committee, he or she should call me about it, in which case I could arrange it. We may not be members of a particular committee but we might like to comment on particular motions.

The Senator also raised the matter of the kidnapping of Margaret Hassan and stated we should condemn the occupation of Iraq and extend sympathy to its people.

Senator Ryan deplored the circumstances that obtain in Iraq and the idea of invading a country without a plan as to how to handle matters thereafter. His point was that there should be a reappraisal of policy in this regard. He also referred to the conference on less lethal weapons. The idea of a less lethal weapon is a contradiction in itself. If it is lethal, it is lethal and there is surely no lesser degree of lethality. The Senator also sought a final statement on the Chen case.

Senator Mooney contended we should not be focusing on the past. We know that the UN mandated the invasion of Iraq after the event and asked everybody to support the work of the occupying forces. However, it is important to note that it did not mandate it before it happened. It was a post factum mandate as the UN did not mandate the invasion, which it described as illegal. We were pilloried here for using the word "illegal" but I heard Kofi Annan describe it as such some months ago.