Maurice Hayes (Independent)

He was extremely statesmanlike and helpful yesterday. I call for a debate that would enable us to discuss wider aspects of the Northern Ireland issue rather than just the political situation.

I add my voice to the request for a debate on drugs, which should include a discussion on enforcement policy. The Garda has been tremendously successful in terms of drugs seizures, but everybody knows it succeeds in intercepting only some 10% of the drugs in circulation. As a medical practitioner observed last week, the time has come to go after some of the users. I read a newspaper article some weeks ago in which a young female journalist said she did not know anybody who does not use drugs. There would be no pushers if there were no market for their products.

If we are to have a debate on efficiency, at some stage I hope we have the opportunity to discuss a report from the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. I read a report at the weekend about printing costs in the Houses which seem to me a proper object for outsourcing. I hope we have an opportunity to debate the efficiency with which the Houses are run.