Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator Finucane, acting leader of the Opposition, raised the matter of the private stem cell research clinic in Cork and said the technology used there to treat various diseases such as multiple sclerosis was not necessarily effective. An unregulated system currently operates there. As Senator Minihan said, the Irish Medicines Board has taken up the matter.

Senator Minihan also spoke of the accident and emergency crisis. We will deal with that later as varying views were expressed. I understand that the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and Professor Drumm, have been attending the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children this morning from 9.30 a.m. and taking questions. I trust there will be a positive outcome from that.

Senator O'Toole spoke, not for the first time, about Ballyvourney. Nothing has happened since the sod was turned on the facility there to assist the teaching of Irish, in whatever grade of school in which it is being taught, and that seems extraordinary. No aids for teachers of Irish have resulted from Ballyvourney, and Senator O'Toole would like the Minister for Education and Science to discuss the matter in this House. The Senator asked if Ballyvourney was being neglected because of being too far from Dublin, and if administrators believed that anything good for education could come only from within thePale.

Senator Ryan supported Senator O'Toole and also spoke of the inability of some civil servants to carry out business through Irish, particularly in the Department of Education and Science, in regard to queries relating to Irish. I understand that Senator Ryan himself tried to carry out business in Irish with a civil servant and was unsuccessful. I suppose we can praise the honesty of the civil servant admitting to being unable to do business through Irish, but that does not take from the Senator's valid point.

Senator Ryan also noted that 70% of poultry sold in Irish shops comes from outside the country. That is fearsome. A well-known Irish supermarket chain currently has advertisements saying all its fowl are Irish, and it can provide documentation to prove that. I asked the young manager in my local store what was meant by that and he said the poultry farmers suppling the store can provide customers with the documentation, and the store can put the customer through to any of its poultry suppliers to get authentication. I said that was very positive and worth following up.

Regarding the Middle East debate, Senator Ryan said that if the West abandons Hamas, others will step in, which they will. Senator Minihan said we would hold our nerve on health issues and he is right in principle, but it is difficult if someone has a person dear to them being discommoded or seriously inconvenienced, as are some people.

Senator Minihan also raised the issue of funding for post leaving certificate courses. A debate on youth affairs, requested by Senator MacSharry, will take place next week and one could raise that issue then because the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, is in charge of the PLC area of the Department of Education and Science.

Senator Coghlan will be waiting some time for the judicial council Bill as it is on the C list and will be published later this year, not immediately. We are endeavouring to get it as a Seanad Bill.

Well done to Senator Ormonde for standing up for the joint committee on which she sits. It was ridiculous for someone to propose that only the Lower House would be involved in the Europe day, and Senator Ormonde was backed up by Senator Quinn who said she made a strong case. The Seanad was the Chamber which brought in MEPs to address it, so we might consider that again for the Europe day.

I agree discussions should not all be about the EU constitution and matters which are not of everyday relevance to ordinary folk. We might discuss, for example, how directives are prepared and at what stage elected representatives take part in the debate and in what committees they partake. This House led the way with the Standing Order to allow MEPs to attend, and they have given us great value. I thank Senator Ormonde for ensuring this House will have a proper Europe day debate on 10 May. The Senator also referred to the issue of research and development.

Senator Quinn spoke of what is termed "head cameras" used by police in Britain. Such cameras would be very offputting to people inclined to wreak damage of one kind or another. The Senator also spoke of electronic tagging, a matter on which people might have different views.

Senator Ó Murchú spoke of the murder in 1991 of Councillor Eddie Fullerton, whom I knew. He was a fine elected representative. The Senator said the Seanad should give firm direction to an independent inquiry into his death.

Senator Bannon said the health system was top-heavy with administrators. He also mentioned the Garda numbers. By the time the general election is called, the number of gardaí referred to in the programme for Government will have been reached, so Senator Bannon will not have that as a plank in Longford-Westmeath.