Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

As we approach the end of the session, I will be a slight irritant to the Leader by restating that, in the forthcoming session, a debate or statements should be considered on the update on the task force on emigration. I am pleased to inform the House that, as a result of its intervention last week and the comments it made on RTE's proposed exclusion of the Irish in Britain as a result of moving sports programmes to RTE, the station is examining the situation and intends monitoring it throughout July. It is conscious of the Irish in Britain and beyond and acknowledges that fact. There was no intent on its part to disenfranchise them in any way. It is important that this House should be a forum for such issues. I hope the Leader will consider giving time to the Minister for Foreign Affairs so he may inform us what is being done in terms of the task force's recommendations.

Notwithstanding the vitriolic attack of Senator Ryan, which one comes to expect although he is a lovely man outside the House——