David Norris (Independent)

I need hardly say that I support everything that was so eloquently said by Senator Zappone. I need saying nothing more because that matter is in capable hands. She will have my support when such a debate takes place.

Regarding the Order of Business, we had a good start but it seems we are wobbling and I wish to signal a number of concerns. The first concerns the fact that Private Members' business will be at 4.30 p.m. It used to take place between 5 p.m and 7 p.m. Under the previous Government, I complained when there are variations. All of us are busy and committed politicians and it is helpful to put a clear date and time for specific recurring debates. I respectfully ask the Leader to ensure we continue the practice so that we know that Private Members' business will be between 5 p.m and 7 p.m on Wednesday. There may be special reasons for the timing.

The other point is that there is a certain flabbiness about the debates today. They are all in the format of statements and were introduced by the Leader in such a way as to suggest that it is all more or less the same debate. The matters itemised for consideration by us were virtually the same.

I am glad that Senator Bacik took up the issue of the Magdalene laundries. Perhaps it will receive further coverage by us in this House. It is interesting and ironic that this new information came from a ledger that was unearthed when bodies were exhumed on foot of a sale of land by the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity as a consequence of financial losses on an unwise investment in Guinness Peat Aviation. This puts the matter in an interesting context. As I suggested yesterday, all kinds of surprising sources will be found because a variety of institutions used the facilities, whether knowingly or not. The issue is not confined to one religious group, however. One of my favourite stories in James Joyce's Dubliners, "Clay", is about a laundry called the Dublin by Lamplight Laundry, which was run by Protestants at the beginning of the last century. It was a real laundry, the ledger books of which were unearthed by my academic colleague, the late Professor Florence Walzl from Milwaukee. It is something we have to address as a society.

I ask the Leader to pass on to the relevant Ministers the Seanad's regret at the riots that have taken place in Northern Ireland over the past several days. It is awful to think there is a possibility we could go backwards. The riots have been described as sectarian but I do not believe that is the case because members of the Protestant community stated on the radio this morning that they are terrified of the UVF. The members of the UVF are gangsters and it is the same as claiming that the branch of extreme republicanism which is involved in drugs and trying to create explosions represents the Roman Catholic population. If there is anything we can do to assist, all of us, who have been democratically elected through one route or another, would wish to play a constructive role.

I ask that we send our collective congratulations to RTE. It is a small broadcaster in a small country but it won the major award and 17 other individual awards at the biggest broadcasting competition in the world. That is fantastic and RTE should take a bow. There is further good news because we are among the three finalists to be appointed European city of design. That shows we still possess the creative, imaginative and inspirational spirit.