David Norris (Independent)

I also pay tribute to the Leas-Chathaoirleach for the civilised and courteous way in which he has dealt with matters while occupying the Chair. I have already paid fulsome tribute to my other colleagues, including Senator Henry, and I do not propose to continue on that line because people might think I was fishing in her newly released shoal of votes. It is something I would never dream of accusing any of my colleagues of doing even though I noticed a very fetching photograph of Senator Henry in the election material of one of my Trinity colleagues.

The one person about whom I have not said very much is Senator John Dardis, the Deputy Leader of the House. Although I did not always agree with him, he behaved with great dignity, courtesy and efficiency. He did his party and this House proud and certainly in a less raucous way than my performances. Again this morning I noticed how judicious he was in his comments on the Middle East. He mentioned that many governments have been elected throughout the world but that they do not seem to fit in with the American notion of democracy because they do not produce the right result. That is true and we could spend the morning listing these people.

As Senator Maurice Hayes has done, I welcome the release of Alan Johnston, which has been universally welcomed. Some weeks ago I attended a press conference organised by the NUJ which was co-chaired by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Diarmuid Martin, and the Muslim Imam from the mosque in Clonskeagh. I very much take on board what Senator Dardis said about things in the Middle East. It is a terrible situation. Hamas, this despised organisation which legitimately won an election, managed to secure the release of Alan Johnston while, simultaneously, President Bush, who stole two elections, released a known liar and subverter of the American Constitution, Mr. Scooter Libby. We must look at these things honestly because people will want to ask why seven doctors were involved in the attacks in the UK. It is not enough to condemn them and to quote the hippocratic oath. Why would so many lawyers and professional people who have taken an oath to respect life be involved in this? I sat next to a wealthy and sophisticated American woman, from New York, who spoke about her outrage at the events of 11 September 2001 and how she changed to support Bush. On the television she had seen an office in which some of her friends worked being blown to pieces. However, what about the incalculable effect on the people of Baghdad, Kirkuk, Mosul and Falluja, where what was happening was so disgraceful the international press was excluded? What else can happen other than the radicalisation of these unfortunate people given that the West, with all its values, has treated the Palestinian and Iraqi people with discrimination, contempt, brutality, terrorism and lies? Unless we face up to this and treat these people decently as equal human beings, this mess will continue.

I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business. No. 25, the Civil Partnership Bill 2004, has been on the Order Paper for the past three years. Nobody in this House has spoken against the Bill and every commission or think tank into which the prevaricating and procrastinating Taoiseach has endeavoured to kick it into touch has reported that the Bill should be dealt with. The Labour Party put a narrower Bill before the other House and every Member, with some good speeches made by Fianna Fáil backbenchers, was in favour of it.

Only five minutes are required to deal with this Bill. Let us have a look at it and see if we are prepared, as an independent House of the Oireachtas and a reviewing Chamber which is entitled to introduce legislation, to advance this Bill to a further Stage. In the space of five minutes we could do the business to which the Government, the Taoiseach, previous justice Ministers and Members of both Houses who have spoken on the matter have committed themselves. Every commission to which this matter has been referred has said: "Go ahead and do it; for God's sake, stop dillydallying." We have the opportunity to advance this legislation in just five minutes. The Bill will not be passed but will be moved to a further Stage. I move that the Seanad resume Second Stage of the Civil Partnership Bill 2004. I am supported in this proposal by my colleague, Senator Henry. It can easily be done in five minutes.