Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The Department of Education and Science has a great many calls on its resources and should use its money accordingly. The needs are myriad in education and health and the money could well be used. Senator O'Toole said that this was making a laugh of the budgetary system. In one of today's newspapers, Dr. Moore McDowell argued that it was a mark of honour to return money. I believe it is a mark of foolishness, not honour.

Senator Ryan referred to No. 1 on the Order Paper. It is proposed that the work of the committee will be completed by next Wednesday. The Senator asked for a report on the committee's deliberations and I will seek one. I am uneasy about saying there will be no debate on matters of this kind because I do not know what is happening within the committee system. It must be asked if we are in danger of letting matters through which are not fully debated and might need further scrutiny. We do not know.

Senator Ryan also referred to the 250 children who are seeking asylum and who have gone missing. The Senator rightly says we have a moral obligation to look after children.

The Senator also referred to the ignominy over what happened in Europe on Friday and Saturday. The Taoiseach's distress was very clear. I believe it arose because he never dreamt that Prime Minister Blair was going to do what he did, given that they had done such great work together. However, it should be said loud and clear that the British signed up to the CAP decoupling settlement in full knowledge of what it would mean. Now, because of internal politics and because Mr. Blair obviously wants to stay longer in Downing Street, they are playing games with what is a very serious matter. The Senator rightly referred to the embarrassment caused by the poorer countries offering to return some of the funding due to them.

Senator Mooney rightly praised the Taoiseach as a strategist and statesman. He said the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources should ask RTE why, from 1 July, all sporting events covered by radio will be heard only on the FM bandwidth. I cannot understand the decision about which the Senator seeks a debate, nor was I aware of it. I will ask the Minister whether he is aware of it and if he will raise the matter with RTE. The Senator also called for a debate on the task force on emigration.

Senator Finucane referred to the electoral registers. Spread around, 8,000 votes would make a difference in many seats. When politics was more pervasive and attracted more volunteers, a person's name was removed from the register when he or she died and the names of girls and boys were added when they reached 18 years. There was local scrutiny — we used to be great at it — and people prided themselves on being expert watchers of the electoral registers. This type of occupation or task appears to have died away. Perhaps a body other than the county councils should take responsibility for the registers. When the issue is raised every so often county managers or those with responsibility for the register indicate they are taking action.

At one time, rent collectors visited every house and would ask if anyone had turned 18 years or had left the household. Swatches of people would be removed from the register at each election and everybody would ask who had removed the names. It would be Government parties versus Opposition parties.