Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

On the remarks about CIE, we also found when we were looking at the Barron inquiry into the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and held hearings on other such atrocities that the lack of powers of compellability, especially to get sworn evidence, is a serious shortcoming. I agree with everything Senator Buttimer said in this regard. I ask the Leader for a debate. We have debates on all sorts of matters. This matter is a priority from the point of view of the efficacy and the manner in which this House has the powers to conduct business that really impacts on people.

I listened to the broadcaster Pat Kenny who interviewed an author who had apparently studied and written extensively on the crime scene in Britain and, by extension, in Ireland, in particular on the drug trade. It was quite enlightening on the manner in which people graduate from juvenile crime beyond their teenage years simply because of the revenue that they are getting from the drugs trade and the hierarchy within that organised crime sector as well. It stuck me in listening to it that we have lost the battle in that regard, not only in Ireland but in all western democracies. We need to look at it with a different mindset rather than merely trying to deal with it purely as a policing issue. We are failing and it looks to me from what was said yesterday as if we will probably never succeed in that regard. We are turning a blind eye to everything that is going on.

I agree with everything Senators Ó Murchú, O'Reilly and Buttimer said on education and the patronage of our educational system. There are elements who would seek to advance progressive secularism by exploiting the atrocious and appalling abuse that occurred within the church and in church institutions, but to name persons who are honourable, such as Cardinal Brady - I do not know the man but those who do regard him as a man of the highest integrity and probity - to advance a secular argument brings no credit to those who pursue that line.