Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

As a voluntary retiree although not entirely wishing to be, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach, the Cathaoirleach, Members and staff of the House for an enjoyable ten years and say a fond farewell to everyone. As others stated, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve. Not many people can state they had the opportunity to do so. I wish everybody standing for election and re-election all the best. They should not worry as I will not forget them. As I have a vote on more than one panel I will not forget the others either.

I hope the Members of the future Seanad will take on board the need to consider a number of issues which I will raise in the debate on the Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill. These issues are with regard to children and are once again in the news today. I heard the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, speak about naíonraí and pre-school education for children as Gaeilge.

The issue of pre-school education for all children is important as is the issue of child care, which does not go away. It has been my great privilege to have raised and spoken on this issue at considerable length. I hope we advanced it. The other issue is that of children in care and children at risk. The incoming Government has a great deal to do on this matter. I hope it takes it on and I will urge the new Ministers of State to do so when we discuss the Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill.

As a member of the NUJ, I was very pleased, as were others, to hear of the release of Alan Johnston overnight. It was wonderful to hear the interview with him on radio this morning, which was extraordinary considering the trauma he has been through. I hope the experience he had is not one to be repeated by others, journalists or not, and one must be delighted and relieved his trauma has come to an end. One hopes to see political progress and advancement in the region and see an end to the terrible suffering of the people there.