Brendan Ryan (Labour)

Among the team of very brilliant people who drafted this legislation is a good friend and occasional adviser of mine. I hope he will explain to me the difference between a drunk and an inebriate. I suppose it is the difference between depression and elation.

It is time we dispensed with so much of the offensive language contained in legislation such as "lunatics", "imbeciles" and so forth. There is the case for a separate and focussed research group to eliminate this appalling language that is still carried forward. It is almost 15 years since I heard a Minister for Justice accept that the language was out-of-date but we are still waiting for it to be dispensed with.

I share Senator Lydon's wonder as to why legislation dealing with the dress of Lords and their right, and that of their servants, not to be arrested on the way to Parliament is necessary legislation to be retained in the Republic. There are wonderful phrases in some of the statutes such as the question of illusory appointments. It brings to mind the more recent controversies about appointments to State boards which in some cases appear to be fairly illusory.