David Norris (Independent)

That is a real disappointment because I think it the most lovely coinage. I suspect the Minister wishes he had coined the term. The phrase "an effete lefty pinko commentariat" has such a magisterial ring to it that I wish the Minister had invented it.

I would like to rub salt in the wound of my dear friend, Senator Maurice Hayes, in the most Christian way possible. The Minister challenged him and, although he is a very gentlemanly and gallant knight, the Senator signally failed to rise to the challenge of producing one grovelling and generous apology. Perhaps he will oblige later but, until he does, the record of the House should show there was such a failure. Perhaps there is no such animal, at least certainly not one that springs automatically to the mind of someone so intimately connected with Grub Street.

I must spring to the defence of Cuba because the Minister raised this hare and I would like to pursue it. Cuba has sent 29,000 doctors all over the world. That should be compared with the number of murderous villains trained in the US in the infamous College of the Americas, which is the reason death squads have emerged throughout South America. That is a wonderful benefaction. I do not know about the visas the Minister granted to Cubans to travel to Ireland for medical treatment but I would not doubt his word because I have always found him an honourable, direct and honest person. However, I suspect that one of the reasons is the embargo placed on medical supplies to Cuba, which is most shameful and disgraceful. It is as bad as the embargo that has been placed on the legitimate government of Palestine.

I spit out the word "multinationals" as well and any decent, intelligent person would.