Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to explain to this House the reason the Irish media were silenced at a press conference given in the Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday? Just because President Klaus does not agree with the views of Government is no reason the Irish media should have been gagged at that press conference. That action has made us look even more foolish in the eyes of Europe than what it set out to achieve. I ask the Leader to make inquiries whether there was some reason for the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Minister to gag the Irish media, and to report back to the House. It sounded very petty.

In the 12 years since Veronica Guerin was murdered, organised crime has become more organised, more powerful and more violent. We constantly call for debates in this House on the issue. We should have a debate on the solutions to the issue. We will have statements later today on the Criminal Assets Bureau. Organised crime is basically about business and money. We can debate all the different reasons for organised crime but I seek a debate on the solutions. Some people say the cause is deprivation in some parts of the country. Others advocate shooting all the individuals concerned. We should have a proper debate in the House purely on the solutions, whatever they are, not on the causes. We know what the causes are and we should debate the solutions.

Will the Leader ask the Minister for Finance about a very specific issue that we should debate? It concerns the question of obtaining primary medical certificates for people with disabilities. A most unusual case I encountered this week concerns an individual who has no power in one hand due to a very traumatic road traffic accident but who was told he is not disabled enough to obtain a primary medical certificate in respect of driving. If he had lost his hand, if he had it amputated, he would have been considered for a certificate, but given that he has his hand, albeit with no power, he is not considered for the certificate. Many problems have arisen in respect of this issue in recent years and I would like the Leader to facilitate a debate thereon in the House.