John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise a question about the Irish Council for Bioethics. It appears the council's board is "independable". "Independable" to me means they have the gloss of independence but are entirely dependable to give the result required. Recently, by a margin of 13 to nil, its board came to a decision that affects life. Approximately 60% of the country holds pro-life views, yet 13 people on a committee, unanimously, made a decision that affects life. State funding is going to this organisation and the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction. Out of the 38 members of each body's board, only one spoke out for pro-life values.

I inquired of the mathematics department at University College Dublin as to the chances of this voting record happening arbitrarily. It is statistically improbable at the least. People are being chosen for committees because of their "independability"; in other words they can be depended on to do what is required of them. This is unacceptable with State funding. It is important the Irish Medical Council will have truly independent people appointed to its board.