John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

Like all other Senators, I am shocked by the tragedy on the Inishowen Peninsula in which so many young lives were lost. It prompts the need for a full and thorough debate on where we are going on the issue of road safety.

I am aware that the Taoiseach is in New York where he is doing a fine job in raising funds for the development of new technologies. With that in mind, I ask for a debate on the development of new technologies. When the Commissioner with specific responsibility for the matter, our own Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, was here recently, she pointed out that the gap in Europe was in the development of the new good ideas. She suggested that, rather than reinvent the wheel, the new innovative products being developed in Europe, not be sent, for its benefit, to the New World which was only too ready to develop them.

Will the Leader please request the Minister for Justice and Law Reform for a cost schedule for the civil partnership Bill? It is unusual that we have not received it. I requested it twice during the debate last week. A ready reckoner was provided in the Dáil in which it was quickly indicated that it would cost €1 million per 1,000 couples. Is it true that, at the lowest end of the scale, we are looking at a possible cost of €73 million per annum within three to five years?