Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

It is something about which we should think. I do not know what the staff of the House would say.

Senator Coonan called for a debate on energy and on the quality of service provided. I could not agree with him more. When one telephones with a query one is told to press a certain key but if one does not have a touch-tone telephone — none of the telephones in the Houses is a touch-tone telephone — one cannot get through and one ends up listening to "The Rising of the Moon" or "Put Your Sweet Lips a Little Closer to the Phone". The Senator's point was solid and was about the quality of service provided by the semi-States.

Senator Ó Murchú was glad we were exporting the peace process and thought we should invite Fr. Alec Reid to the House but as the Cathaoirleach said, that is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Senator Quinn raised the case of Abdul Rahman who was accused of converting from Islam to Christianity. He faces death with serenity of mind. We can pass that information on to the Department of Foreign Affairs. As Senator Jim Walsh said, our voices should be heard in that regard.

Senator Feeney would like the women of 1916 to be commemorated. They would have got 1916 and Cumman na mBan medals but I agree with the Senator. I was interested to read TomClonan's recent article. He has been corrected but on small matters. There was a brave woman from Athlone, Mrs. Eilish O'Brien, who was in the Royal College of Surgeons. She was one of the 50 women mentioned in The Irish Times article. All of these women were courageous. I thought it interesting that Mr. de Valera gave the order that he did not want any women in Boland's Mills. He wanted complete purity of purpose in his endeavours. Be that as it may, the team responsible for the 1916 commemorations should pay attention to this aspect.

Senator McHugh referred to the letter from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. His party colleague, Deputy Bruton, raised the matter so I expect the Minister was responding to it. Now everyone will write to him, looking for the figures for counties Westmeath, Longford, Donegal, etc., and I would encourage Members to do that. Already, people are asking me what is happening in County Westmeath on the basis that they know Dublin is being looked after. Senator McHugh wants to know what is happening about County Donegal.