David Norris (Independent)

Ms O'Keeffe is a remarkable and courageous woman who was let down by the machinery of the State. The State and church engaged in a nasty form of evasion of their clear responsibility to this woman who had demonstrated that she had been abused. I welcome the decision by the Supreme Court to refuse to grant costs to the State as any other decision would have bankrupted Ms O'Keeffe. Yesterday was a very good day for democracy and for the rights of the individual. Senators on all sides spoke out about this case.

RTE, which has been the subject of criticism, broadcasts some wonderful, life-enhancing programmes. For example, its recent documentary about Chuck Feeney, a person of whom we can be extremely proud, was wonderfully positive. Mr. Feeney is a selfless, remarkable man who used the enormous wealth he had accrued throughout his business career to invest positively and anonymously in doing the things the Government should have done, including investing in third level education and infrastructure. The critical matter was that Mr. Feeney examined these projects carefully before-----