David Norris (Independent)

I express concern about No. 1 on the Order Paper in which it is stated there will be no Order of Business on Tuesday next. Unless the Leader is able to give a satisfactory explanation, I shall vote against the Order of Business today.

Would the Leader be kind enough to clarify for me a serious report I have received? Apparently, there was a programme on Channel 10 News in Israel on which it was stated they had in their possession a communiqué to Jerusalem from the deputy Israeli ambassador, Ms Nurit Tinari Modai, in which she stated they should be working against Israeli activists supporting Palestinian human rights. I have worked with many of these groups, including Professor Gideon Halper and the Rabbis for Human Rights. I want the Leader to ask the Government to establish the credibility of this communiqué because if true, it is extremely serious. Ms Modai suggests undermining, attacking and shaming these activists, publishing their names and photographs and suggesting they are working for Mossad, a move that would certainly expose them to considerable danger. According to media reports, she states it is possible to obtain the name of Israeli activists and Israel should "try to hit [the activists'] soft underbellies, to publish their photographs". This, she wrote, might "cause embarrassment for their friends in Israel and their family" and sow suspicion among non-Israeli activists that "they may actually be working on behalf of Mossad". Significantly and worryingly she states: "The activity of those activists against the state is, in my evaluation, not necessarily ideological (!) but grounded in psychological reasons, (generally of disappointment with the parents, [or] sexual identity problems) or the need to obtain a residency visa in one of the countries in Europe." I am well aware of the circumstances and if the deputy Israeli ambassador is sending these types of communiqués, we have real cause for concern about the activities of the Israeli embassy. I seek clarification on this matter.

I strongly support the view expressed by Senator Susan O'Keeffe on Cregg House, which I visited during a tour of the country last year. I was immensely impressed by the work done there, the professionalism and expertise of its staff, the caring atmosphere at the facility and the happiness of the people who are using it. I did not see any waste of money and saw nothing but devotion and professionalism. Some of those using the resource are extremely vulnerable people whose lives have been made immeasurably better by the combination of the Daughters of Wisdom and the State. While I did not see a single nun on my visit, I gather an elderly nun lives at the centre. I understand, however, that the nuns have effectively had to pull out because of a decline in numbers. One must pay tribute to them for the work they did in establishing this wonderful facility. I pay particular tribute to the staff who continue to work there. They are of the highest international standard. If we allow the vulnerable to be attacked in this way, it would be a major reproach. I compliment Senator O'Keeffe on raising this important matter from the Government benches and will support her in anything she wishes to do to help to ensure Cregg House continues to operate. I am sure those using the service and their relatives will be reassured by the Senator's clear statement that there is no immediate prospect of disturbance to the facility's users.