Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

——-I ask the Leader to invite in the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, to the House. The Minister and his predecessor, Deputy Cullen, have treated the people of Cork with contempt. I am a proud advocate of the people of Cork. We were promised a debt-free independent airport, as the Leader and Senator Boyle know well, and we have not got that. The Cassells report is a complete fudge. I ask the Leader as a matter of urgency to invite the Minister for Transport to the House so that we can have a debate on the issue of Cork airport which is of absolute importance, not just to Cork city but to the wider Cork and Munster region.

I agree with Senator O'Toole and others on the question of the Olympic Games in Beijing. I ask that we invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to the House as a matter of urgency. It is important that we and those involved in sport do not use sportspeople as an instrument of protestation but it is also important that we stand with the people who are being deprived and oppressed in a spirit of camaraderie and good will. Our athletes should not be used in this case and we need to send a strong message to the regime that its behaviour is intolerable.