David Norris (Independent)

I heard the debate on stem cell research on RTE this morning and it seemed that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, was giving a kind of post-dated cheque and saying that if stem cell research proved effective and to have results, a case might be considered. This is an interesting position. He also referred to the question of ethical subsidiarity, which involves a free vote of conscience for different European countries. This is welcome.

I note that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, was recently in Rome. I raised this issue yesterday. One of the subjects the Minister discussed concerned the political aspects of embryonic research. I hope the Vatican will not attempt to instruct people on how they should vote based on their religious affiliation. It is very important that we have a reasoned debate and that words such as "murder" are kept out of it.

I listened with interest and sadness to an Irish Member of the European Parliament referring to five-day old embryos as "daughters" and "sons". They plainly are not; they are a form of life but to describe them and someone's "daughters" or "sons" is totally unhelpful as they lack a central nervous system.

It is very important that we have a debate on the Middle East. The Americans and Israelis are talking about "asymmetrical warfare". The current events represent asymmetry at its highest. I agree with Senator Ó Murchú that it is very suspicious that this kind of situation should develop just when Hamas made a major diplomatic advance in terms of recognition, to which matter I referred yesterday. I believe the current events are an attempt to disturb this. They are very worrying and appalling and my belief is confirmed by a report by Michael Jansen in The Irish Times today. We appear to have no concern whatever in Europe for the human rights of the Palestinian people, even for their basic right to survival. If we did, we would have operated the human rights clauses of the external association agreement.

The bombing of the power station may well cause difficulties for hospitals but even more widespread will be the difficulty in acquiring the very basic element of water. The pumps and sewerage systems do not work and people are being deliberately driven back into the Stone Age. This is appalling and is being done by the army, an arm of the Israeli state. The home-made rockets sent in from the territories are the work of maverick groups.

I note with great sadness that the Israelis are once more talking about Mahmoud Abbas as not being a partner for peace. This is the way they discredited Mr. Arafat. It reminds me of the kind of language used all the time by Ian Paisley in Northern Ireland in that it was said that Captain O'Neill must go, Mr. Faulkner must go and nobody is a partner for peace. They should grow up.

It has been reported that the CIA has been monitoring banking transactions. Did Irish officials know about this? Was our Government aware that the bank accounts of individual Irish citizens were being monitored secretly by the CIA, apparently in flagrant violation of international data protection law? We are entitled to know that, particularly in light of the ongoing concern about the rendition flights.

A Fianna Fáil Member, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, tabled a motion to that committee and the Joint Committee on European Affairs requesting an invitation to be sent to Senator Marty to address those committees. The motion was passed in both cases. Would the Leader consider it appropriate for Senator Marty to come to this House, if he comes before the other committees, because we have taken a particular interest in that matter? People who have been critical of the report would then have the opportunity of directly questioning him.