Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Senator Ó Murchú spoke of the unity of purpose of the two Northern leaders and said ideology had been put to one side. Senator Henry referred to the situation in Galway and Drogheda, where expectant mothers have to wait five months for their first appointment. They are nearly ready to give birth at that stage and it cannot be right from a medical point of view.

Senator White was laudatory of the increase in the old age pension, which she recommended in her report. She referred to 1993 and said the then Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, had knocked heads together. She also remembered the hunger strikes.

Senator Ulick Burke urged the National Roads Authority to take action on signage. While that was not a factor in today's accident, it is worth noting. I heard very praiseworthy comments about the emergency teams in Naas General Hospital and how they had worked very effectively to take in the wounded and attend to them.