Feargal Quinn (Independent)

Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a ghabháil leis na daoine a d'fhreastal ar an rang Gaeilge inniu. I congratulate those who have attended. At least three Members of this House are attending French classes. Those who have organised language classes in both French and Irish are to be congratulated on the arrangements that have been made. I was in France yesterday and I was impressed to see a number of signs in the airport about avian flu. I read an article by Muiris Houston in The Irish Times yesterday which drew attention to the fact that there is concern about this issue in America. The World Health Organisation has said that the threat of an avian flu pandemic has not diminished. Ireland has a pandemic influenza expert group. According to the article I mentioned, if there is a pandemic of avian flu, decisions will have to be made in America, and I would imagine they would have to be made here too, about treatment.

There are not enough facilities to cater for everybody in a pandemic so decisions will be made that those who are least valuable or most likely to contract the disease should not have the benefit of the care that otherwise would be given. A report published in America, Definitive Care for the Critically Ill During a Disaster, states that people of a certain age would probably have to manage without care. If such a decision must be made, it is worthy of debate. It is now being debated in America but not here. We should consider having a debate on the issue. It is suggested that people over 60 will have to do without care, so I have a vested interest in this. The Leader should ensure we have that debate as the subject is worthy of it. The possibility of avian flu occurring has not gone away. I did not notice any signs about avian flu in Dublin Airport, although they might have been there, but the signs were dramatically apparent on entering France. We must keep our attention on this issue.