Joe O'Toole (Independent)

This is the issue that bothers me. I do not say this as any personal criticism of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I have defended him and I do not believe him to be racist, nor do I believe many of the things that have been said about him. However, there is a time for flexibility and this is one such time. When I spoke on the Immigration Bill, I said there would be times when we would need to stand together and state it was right that people be turned back or be kept in the country. This is one of those times. I say to the Leader, as a teacher herself, that three months before the leaving certificate examination is not the time to expel a child from a school, never mind expelling one from the country. We should revisit the issue and ask that flexibility be brought to bear. As a teacher, public representative and citizen of the country, it is impossible to accept this was what we had in mind. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said when putting through the legislation that he would be open and flexible on the issue of children born after the implementation of the Supreme Court decision. He has honoured that commitment and I accept this issue is outside the bounds of what we sought on that occasion. However, this situation indicates why flexibility is necessary. Will the Leader ask the Minister to reinvestigate this matter and show some flexibility in this regard?

My image of St. Patrick's Day is somewhat different from that presented by Senator Brian Hayes. The holiday has become a drink-fest and should be revisited. The St. Patrick's Day festivals and parades in large cities should be adjourned for several years. We should discover whether we are capable of enjoying ourselves by having a few drinks in our local pub or in our homes. It does us no good to create focal points in city centres which facilitate the type of activity we have discussed in this House on three occasions during the past year. I am not saying this from a purist's point of view. I am not a person who drinks moderately and I have gone over the limit far too often. However, I come from a cultural background in which it was considered a useful quality to be able to hold one's drink rather than falling down drunk.