David Norris (Independent)

I am very happy to second this motion and I am very grateful to Senator Ryan for giving me the opportunity to do so. Like many other people, I was astonished when this committee was deliberately collapsed. In reply to my question about the committee on 1 December 2005, the Leader stated that if the European Parliament is taking the issue seriously, then we should do likewise. We had about six meetings and the legal representative of the Oireachtas was there to advise us. The terms of reference were agreed between all parties, yet suddenly, the whole thing was punctured and I am sure that this was not without the intervention of the Government. Some of my colleagues on the other side of the House have been gombeens on this issue. I use that word advisedly and I would like to rub it in. A gombeen is one who sells out one's ideas for cash and it is a perfectly parliamentary term to use. Such people do not care if human beings are tortured or murdered, because we know this has actually happened.

If Members are looking for specific facts, I refer them to five specific flights.