Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I am. It is a disgrace that there are so many apprentices who are now unable to finish their training and who are unable to get a proper qualification when they could be put to work either on houses that need to be finished or upgraded, or on our roads. The Government must start showing leadership and I want that debate urgently.

I refer to the impending visit of the Queen. I support Senator O'Toole. I am a republican and a nationalist and I do not have a narrow introspective viewpoint, but let us have a debate about what it means to be in a republic in the 21st century. Let us not start waving the flags with the impending arrival of the Queen. Let us have an honest debate about our relationship with England and the future we have for a united Ireland also.