Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Mullen's call for a debate on embryonic stem cell research. I, too, was appalled at what happened in UCC. I acknowledge what Senator O'Toole has said regarding our failure to bring legislation through these Houses. I am not persuaded by the spokesman for UCC who argued that it is an acceptable procedure because the embryo is destroyed prior to the removal of the stem cell strips. I see that as analogous to somebody who is caught with child pornography denying his or her instrumentality in the abuse of the children concerned because he or she came into the possession of the pornography subsequently. It does not stand up to argument.