Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I have confidence in him and have acknowledged his competence in his role as Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children and his sensitivity in dealing with this area, drawing from both his ministerial position and his professional background as a pharmacist.

I would never use this House to score political points on an issue like this. A suggestion that a journalist from a Sunday newspaper should lecture me about sensitivity in this area would cause me to take umbrage. As far as that profession is concerned, many lessons have yet to be learned. Many journalists have breached their own code of professionalism when handling some recent cases. I took umbrage at the newspaper article last Sunday which told me how I should behave in my role.