Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I take on board the points made by all Senators. As I stated, there was clarification by reference to the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly protocol 4 of that convention. There is also an obligation on the Minister under the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003. The point Senator Cummins raised about NGOs travelling abroad is a very good one. To stop NGOs travelling would be very much against the human rights Acts and conventions. That would not arise. The proof of the pudding is that there has been only one refusal in the past three years. It is very unlikely the Minister would seek to invoke the power to refuse a passport on the basis of the common good.