John Ellis (Fianna Fail)

I would like to be associated with remarks concerning Fr. Sinnott. We have seen something very positive this morning and I have no doubt the Department of Foreign Affairs and everybody who lobbied and worked on his behalf are to be congratulated on a successful outcome.

I asked previously for a debate on carbon tax prior to the budget. I hope we will be able to do this in the context of any debate we have with regard to climate change and what is to happen down the road.

On the question of lobbyists, we are all lobbyists. If we are to have regulations with regard to lobbyists, it will have a detrimental effect on politics across the board. I am not suggesting lobbyists should be allowed to go way beyond normal lobbying. However, once one is elected as a public representative, one is a lobbyist, and let nobody say that is not the case because it genuinely is. We have to look at the matter in that context.

I was very worried to hear Senator Healy Eames' point that students were sleeping in cars in Cork, which is a terrible situation if it is true. I would ask our colleague, Senator Buttimer, to investigate it over the weekend and report back to us on Tuesday.