Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I apologise to my colleagues if I do not mention everybody's contribution. It is an inevitable consequence of the brevity of my reply. I do not mean this as a nasty point. Once we got away from the set scripts we had a very good debate arising from which is something that people may not have known, which is how important the issues are. Many people here have views. Whether I or other Senators agree is secondary. It is clear this is an issue with ramifications that matter to many people. I have taken the debate in that spirit. I have many smart remarks about the Minister, which I will leave out. I will have plenty of opportunities again. There is nothing inconsistent with a republic having a chief herald. That proudest of new republics, the Republic of South Africa is the example I would cite. There is no single model of a republic. A republic is a democratic state that does not have someone who remains as head of state for life. After that, provided it is democratic, there is a range of republics.

While it is not like a politician to say this, I have received enormous compliments for my diligence in drafting the Bill. I did not draft the Bill, other people drafted it. If I deserve a compliment it is for introducing it and having the neck to go through with something as complicated and risk the possibility of making a fool of myself in the process. I deserve no compliment for the detail of the Bill. It was prepared by people who know considerably more than I do. However, this is how we should do our business. We cannot, as Members of the Oireachtas, be experts in every field. When other people impress us with an idea and their expertise, we should use it and admit it.

Having said that, a number of matters arose. Senator Ó Murchú spoke about the impending extraordinary event where much of our family history will be accessible on the Internet in a very organised fashion. When investigating the family history of ordinary people, like ourselves, as distinct from the distinguished families, I am always struck by the sudden terrifying gap in the middle of the 19th century. In the investigation of family history, there is a sudden staring over the brink of the catastrophe in the middle of the 19th century. When we sought the history of my grandfather and grandmother in County Tipperary, I found it was easy to go back to the late 19th century. It was a bit more of a struggle in the early 19th century, but beyond that there is suddenly a gap, which remains deep in our self-conscious.

I am a chemical engineer, the only engineer in the Oireachtas and the missing engineer on Senator Ross's list, as many Senators will know. Every chemical engineer in that building over there had to be able to say "vexillological" before being allowed in. If Senators believe that they will believe anything. However, we must get one up on Trinity if we get a chance.

I was somewhat disappointed in the Minister's response. There is no point in responding to Private Members' legislation with arguments about detail. The Minister did not address the central issue of whether a sound legal base exists for the issue of arms in the State. I would like to know what the Attorney General advised the Government in 2002 in this regard. If advice exists, it is a pity we are not discussing it. I do not know why the National Library of Ireland has not pursued it. I know the current chief herald does not believe it. However, while he may be a fine chief herald, he is not an authority on law and the Constitution.

Some Senators spoke about our diaspora, which is a legitimate part of it. We are an extraordinarily diverse people who are spread throughout the world. We have connections in many countries and the Internet will greatly expand the access that people will have and will want to have to what exists of records here. This is why one of the Bill's provisions to prevent the improper or illegal export of genealogical records is extremely important. Within a generation such matters could go from being the stuff of parish records to the sort of items that could sell for large amounts of money at international auctions. Some great works of art barely sold 100 years ago and are now worth up to €50 million. We need to ensure we recognise our heritage while we still have it in our hands and before it drifts away from us and is scattered around. It is a tragedy that the personal papers of some of our great writers are now scattered through half a dozen different universities. I think of the papers of James Joyce, in particular, that are scattered in a variety of places. It is a tragedy because when it could have been done it was not done and now that we could perhaps do it we cannot afford to do it.

I still cherish that one of the more distinguished former members of this House was theMcGillicuddy of the Reeks. Senator Norris assured me he insisted on the emphasis being on the first syllable rather than on the second syllable, which is peculiar. However, the man knows more about pronunciation than anybody else here does.

There is consensus on pursuing the issue. It is not an issue on which there is a major party political divide. It would be a pity to force it to a vote. I do not propose to do this because I do not want to embarrass Members who are sympathetic to my intention. It would be a pity to do so. I therefore ask the permission of the House to withdraw the Bill. I accept the Minister's offer to seek the views of the board of the National Library of Ireland on the issues raised and I hope this will be done reasonably expeditiously. I ask Government Members to pursue the Minister on the question of whether there is a genuine and reliable legal basis for the current issue of arms and whether there is a need for clarification in this regard.

I thank Members for their contributions to this entertaining and enjoyable debate, which was conducted in good spirit and with little rancour. I also thank the Government for allowing it to take place in Government time. This is unusual and I welcome it unequivocally.