David Norris (Independent)

It is a privilege to share a debating chamber with the Minister. This is vintage McDowell and I relish it. Although I did not think it was necessary for the remark to be withdrawn, I cannot think of a more inept characterisation of the Minister than that of a coward. Whatever else he is, he is not a coward. I suspect him of being a bit of a pointy head because he has a razor sharp intellect and has the capacity to make his views very clearly, firmly and unambiguously known, which I welcome. We should not be so dismissive of intellectual inquiry but it is a great old phrase used by the Reagans in America.

I also very much enjoyed the characterisation of people emerging from the leafy suburbs and ivory towers. I refer to the letters page in today's edition of The Irish Times. The majority of letters on this issue supported the Minister. A number were written by a Dr. Hanley of The Rise, Mount Merrion, County Dublin, and a Jason O'Mahony of Coppinger Glade, Stillorgan, County Dublin. The leafy suburbs and a few of the pointy heads are coming out in support of the Minister.

I also welcome a number of comments made by the Minister towards the end of his contribution. I have always thought it a dreadful notion that we should slavishly follow United Kingdom legislation and I am relieved and pleased, but not entirely surprised, that the Minister will not slavishly follow the UK example but will tweak the provision. In the tweaking of the provision lies its possible beneficial results, although I am suspicious of it and have genuine concerns. However, the Minister's objective to put an end to anti-social behaviour, which is a serious problem, is shared throughout the House. I wish there was machinery for recording dissent whereby I could record that I did not vote on this because there are items of merit in both the motion and the amendment but there is also lamentable political partisan point scoring, in which I do not want to indulge.