John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on offshore drilling. We have a second instance of the impossible happening with the appearance of a very large oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico. Any of us who has been to the area is aware of the beauty of that environment. It is sad fact that many thousands of barrels of oil are leaking into the gulf. We were told this could not happen and that there were fail-safe mechanisms in place, but these mechanisms have not worked. It happened previously in the case of the Chernobyl plant when we were also told such an accident could not happen. With that in mind, we must re-examine the question, particularly when this country is, in reality, the Saudi Arabia of green energy.

We have the wind energy and the rivers and know we have the tidal capacity and the waves. If properly harnessed, like Switzerland harnessed its rivers and exports energy, we could become a net exporter of energy supplies. We need to put in place the enabling legislation in order that the Spirit of Ireland group can proceed and we can say to the international markets that we are open for business.

I support two items raised by other Senators, one of which by Senator Twomey was on umbilical cord blood. There should be a system under which the umbilical cord can be stored for future use, as it contains the individual's own stem cells. That is the best way of assisting an individual in the future should he or she need to use his or her stem cells.

As consistently and correctly raised by Senator Walsh, there is the scandal of cost in the courts. It has become a national scandal at a time when money is tight and could be used for better purposes. We are spending not millions but hundreds of millions. That must be brought to an end.