John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I would like to raise a matter that was discussed some weeks ago by my colleague, Senator Terry. I ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House to debate the issue of domestic violence. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has launched a publicity campaign, End the Silence, in recent weeks. It would be appropriate for the Minister to come to the House to discuss all aspects of the issue as soon as possible.

I would also like to ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, to come to the House, if he can avoid the traffic jams, to discuss recent allocations by the National Roads Authority for the development of roads over the coming year. Perhaps the Minister would also like to discuss the fiasco he stirred up yesterday when he spent an hour and a half on the N3 to try to gain some publicity for Fianna Fáil's by-election campaigns. I would like the Minister to explain how the situation has been allowed to deteriorate to the current position, given that his party and the Progressive Democrats have been in Government for seven years.