John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

Senators Brian Hayes, O'Toole, Ryan, Leyden, Mansergh and even Senator Norris spoke about the kidnapping of Rory Carroll. Joe Carroll was a person many of us would have known very well and an excellent journalist. Obviously the kidnapping is a matter of serious concern and I know the Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs are doing all they can to try to resolve the situation. I was encouraged, as I am sure others were this morning, by the correspondent from the Christian Science Monitor who was on radio and indicated that because of the place where we was kidnapped and the probable captors there was a good chance Rory would be released. Obviously we hope that will happen. I undertake to convey to the family the good wishes of Members. I agree with Senator Norris that we should wait for some time to discuss the matter of Iraq.

Senators Brian Hayes, O'Toole and Ryan raised the matter of the abuse in the diocese of Ferns. I appreciate Senator Brian Hayes made a slightly different inquiry as to the commitment to the victims of abuse in Dublin. I do not know the position in regard to that issue but I will endeavour to find it out. These matters are worthy of debate here. We should not shy away from them because they are difficult issues or because they involve the church. It is unfortunate that in the past there may have been a sense of immunity in certain sections of society, including the churches, where some of these events took place. Those of us of a certain generation can imagine what the reaction would have been had we told our parents we had been abused by a member of the clergy; there would certainly have been a defence of the clergy. What happened is outrageous. That the ecclesiastical authorities did not seem to deal with it effectively is bad. The House should be able to discuss these issues, not the specifics or the difficult individual details but the broader issue because it has serious implications for society. Any matter such as that should be debated here.

Senator O'Toole raised the issue of the Law Society and the regulation of the legal profession. I heard the Master of the High Court say this morning there was a need for the profession of solicitors to act in a better way. The wider issue is the whole question of regulation. It is unfortunate that increasingly across the professions there is a need to introduce statutory regulation. Obviously it would be better if we had self-regulation. However, history teaches us that we are not good at that and certainly it is the case that some solicitors have their hands in their clients' pockets. I accept there are many good solicitors who do their job well but there are some who do not and they must be rooted out and regulated. If the Law Society is not prepared to do the rooting out the Legislature has to do the job.