Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I refer very briefly to the pork crisis. I thank the Leader for making time available today for statements on this matter. The agrifood sector has significant potential to exploit international markets but it is badly damaged. We must ask ourselves why this crisis happened and how we responded to it. I hope that will be addressed in today's debate.

We do not have a State laboratory with the capacity to test for dioxins. A similar problem arose on foot of the cryptosporidium outbreak in Galway, when samples had to be sent to the UK for testing. The HSE is exporting cervical smear samples to America for testing. How can we, as a country, justify this and is it any wonder we bemoan the fact we have very few science graduates at this time? What kind of message is the Government sending out to young people, as it is clear science is not a priority? Recent cuts in education which will affect science subjects in schools also make it clear that we will have lesser science subjects in future, with correspondingly weaker graduates. It is clear that science is a low priority for the Government.

What incentive would exist for youngsters to do science in schools and colleges if the private sector was not there? I ask the Leader to take the lead on the issue. I call for a debate on science and science education in this country as a matter that must be addressed. It is no good paying lip service to the matter; we must debate it to discover the underlying problems. It is a very low priority for Government currently on the signals it is sending out.

I put on record my abhorrence of the recent murder of that unfortunate man, Aidan O'Kane. I am a parent to two children and I am very saddened that my generation has passed on this type of society and legacy to our children. People in here would agree that our parents did not pass on this uncaring and valueless society to us. We have a responsibility as a society, as parents and people in this regard. We must all ask ourselves if we want to pass this legacy to our children.

Where does responsibility lie and where is the Government's role in this? I do not need to remind the Leader that when Fianna Fáil was in Opposition, it continuously went on about zero tolerance. We all remember it. The Government has been in power for more than 11 years and what do we have? There is murder of ordinary citizens on our streets and they are unprotected in their homes, by all accounts. There is increased use of hard drugs on our streets and greater rates of gun crime. There is no respect for the Garda and criminals are running our communities.

We must wake up and the Government needs to ask itself when it will act. Now is the time for action and I call on the Leader to organise a debate on justice and criminality, which is urgently needed. Society is calling for it and we depend on politicians and Government to show leadership on the issue.