Michael Mullins (Fine Gael)

I very much welcome the significant jobs announcement at SAP in Galway which is an indication of great confidence returning to our economy. We need to maintain that confidence and the best way to do so is for a resounding "Yes" vote on 31 May. I welcome Fianna Fáil's support for the treaty but I am very disappointed that some of my former Fianna Fáil colleagues on Galway County Council have decided to come out against it and I ask them to reconsider.

I support the call for a debate and an update on child protection measures. I am sure the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs would be pleased to come to the House for such a debate. I feel a certain element of sympathy for Cardinal Seán Brady who is under enormous pressure because of incompetence and the fact people at a much higher rank than he was at the time did not do their duty.

What is really making me angry is that as far back as 1964, Brendan Smyth could have been stopped in his tracks if a young priest from my parish, a young novice, Fr. Bruno Mulvihill, had been listened to when he alerted the abbott of Kilnacrott about the behaviour of Brendan Smyth. He raised very serious concerns but when he got no joy or no action from the abbott-----