Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

It certainly merits a debate in the House.

Senator O'Toole also raised the issue of intrusion into personal privacy by newspapers. The experience of the young man, details of whose private life were highlighted yesterday, was appalling. He was clearly a mature student, aged 29, but had got himself together and was going to Trinity College, and details of who he was and his parentage and so on were published in the newspapers. It is cruel. It is like putting people on a spit and turning them, and raking in the money when the newspapers sell.

Senator Brendan Ryan stated that he is strongly against the idea of regulating the media. However, he also states that if they will not regulate themselves, regulation will have to be imposed through legislation.

Senator Ryan asked why the director of the museum was barred from attending a meeting of the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government.

Senator Dardis also raised the issue of privacy, defamation and the right to information. We are not trying to cocoon ourselves and prevent anybody writing anything about us. However, invasion into private life is wrong because writing about what people do in their private relationships is not in the public interest. I feel very strongly about this attack on people's dignity and self respect.

Senator Finucane changed tack and asked whether another batch of iodine tablets was due to be delivered. I cannot remember whether I got the first one.