Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I want an early debate on taxation. I want the Minister of Finance, not a Minister of State, to come to the House to explain to Members why the Commission on Taxation will not report until September. The commission has said it is bringing its report forward by a number of weeks, but that is not good enough. We need a decision from the Government on taxation and to hear when the Minister proposes to make changes in taxes. He said yesterday that he will not make changes this year, but he told a committee he might do so. People are in the dark. We will see even more of a crisis in confidence unless people are given some certainty and indication of what is proposed to get us out of economic depression.

It is always amusing to hear self-confessed experts on embryology speak about the need for a debate on stem cell research. I am very happy to have a debate on this issue. When we had a debate on this issue previously, I brought in a recognised international expert to speak to us and enlighten us on the science behind stem cell research and the reason so many scientists want to explore embryonic stem cell research. We need such well-informed debate and I fully support it.