Dan Boyle (Green Party)

I join others in welcoming the release of Ms Ingrid Betancourt. I also support calls for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to consider issuing an invitation to Ms Betancourt to come to this House, bearing in mind her availability and ability to do so. As a former member of the Colombian Senate and a former Green Party presidential candidate in that country, her insight would help us to understand the ongoing difficulties in that country and the plight of the several hundred people who still remain in captivity, as has been mentioned by Senator Fitzgerald.

Senator Fitzgerald also referred to the National Cancer Registry statistics and the need for a debate on the transit of hazardous waste and the location of such materials in the country in general. The Cobh figures for the urban area were 40% above the national average, although the rural area was 25% below the national average. I welcome that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government indicated in the other House he will seek Cabinet approval for a baseline health survey to be conducted in the Cork Harbour area, which is the location of most of the hazardous industrial sites in the country. All factors must be taken into account.

One of the most disturbing statistics that emerged yesterday, apart from the environmental information, is that the town of Cobh has a deprivation index that rates nine out of ten in terms of how the cancer statistics are put together. In essence, as far as the National Cancer Registry is concerned, Cobh town is one of the most deprived areas in the country, which represents a challenge for all of the public representatives in that area.

The information that has come to light in recent days justifies the decision of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to ask contractors to remove themselves from the Haulbowline site. There are severe questions as to how such contractors were appointed and supervised. That hazardous waste was being removed in an unsafe manner would contribute to a debate that needs to be held in this House at the soonest possible opportunity.