John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

We recently observed the 50th anniversary of the founding of the European Community, during which questions about the European constitution arose once again. As a backbench Senator, it is patently obvious to me that the constitution is lacking because of the refusal to include God in it. That should be a simple matter but for all the intelligence and resources available to the drafters of the constitution, they have gone in circles and have not gotten the people's acceptance. All that is needed is a recognition of the Christian contribution to Europe. The absence of that from the constitution is a fundamental issue.

As representative of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in the Seanad, through the labour panel and Fianna Fáil, I restate my support for partnership and national wage agreements. The support shown by all sides for these agreements has allowed the country to develop beyond the expectations we had in the 1980s. However, our unprecedented prosperity must be carefully guarded. I note that all sides in the Dáil stated their support yesterday for national wage agreements.

I agree with Senator Norris that the visa waiver scheme should be reintroduced for children from the Chernobyl region. We cannot think about travelling from Belarus or Ukraine to Moscow in the same way as a journey from Tipperary to Dublin. Journeys of hundreds of kilometres are involved, which makes it almost impossible for these people to travel to Ireland. I ask the Department of Foreign Affairs to treat this as a matter of urgency.