David Norris (Independent)

I support Senator O'Toole's comments about the BAI. It is extraordinary that it should bring forward a proposal for a 30% increase on its 2009 budget. Many small radio stations are on the margins and it is peculiar that the body charged with the guardianship of their interests should place them at risk. It is a little like upward only rent reviews.

Will the Leader keep the House informed of developments in the investigation into possible Garda leaks relating to the forced resignation of Deputy Trevor Sargent? If, as the newspapers are reporting, the information was maliciously released by a source within the Garda, it should concern every decent and honourable parliamentarian. This would not be the first time for such an event to happen. During the 1997 presidential campaign a Garda file on the brother of one of the candidates, Mr. Dónal de Róiste, was released at a time when it was calculated to do damage. This is serious because cannot have the police force interfering in the political life of the country.

As we meet, Ezra Nawi is appearing in the High Court in Jerusalem for the hearing of an appeal against his conviction for an assault on two Israeli soldiers during an illegal demolition of Palestinian housing, despite the fact that the newsreel film showed him clearly taking stones from some of the Palestinian protestors while saying, "This is a peaceful protest". He disappeared inside the house being demolished; two soldiers went in after him and he emerged dishevelled saying, "Please, do not beat me," yet the judge, in a remarkable echo of the Denning judgment, preferred not to face the appalling vista that the police were lying, even though other policeman had previously lied in similar cases. This is a campaign, as described yesterday by a colleague, "to silence a democratic voice" in one of the only democracies in the Middle East.