Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I renew my call for a debate on bioethics, with particular reference to the disappointing news that it is to be recommended that embryo destructive stem cell research be permitted in this State. We need cures we can all live with and I remind Members about the promising research conducted in Japan, which demonstrated that flexible stem cells can be retrieved from adult cells. It was reported recently that Professor Ian Wilmut, who gave the world Dolly the sheep, has abandoned embryo destructive research because he wishes to pursue promising research in the area of adult stem cells.

My colleague, Senator Norris, whom I esteem greatly, in my absence criticised my comments yesterday about certain Swedish researchers. I am not a member of the Iona Institute. I have, like many other Oireachtas Members, attended the institute's events and I agreed on one occasion to chair one of its conferences on denominational education. I have been impressed by the institute's thinking approach to issues where previously ideology has dominated. I stand over my comments but I did not infer any moral fault on the part of those researchers when I suggested they might be blinkered by ideology.