Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I add my voice to the compliments to the Leader for his words yesterday. It is necessary to respond to the Taoiseach, whom I also wish to compliment. It is seldom somebody has come here to speak for as long as he did without notes from the civil servants behind him. He spoke off the cuff after our debate. I thank the Leader for arranging the debate. I was impressed by the Taoiseach's words apart from on one point, which is the future of the House. The Taoiseach said it is in the hands of the citizens of Ireland. It is up to us to ensure we earn respect if we are to have a vote. I hope we will even convince them we do not even need a vote.

I was impressed to hear we will all be given an information tablet. The reason I mention this is because for some time I have been fighting about the amount of paper we receive. I hope by the end of the year we will all be able to come here with our information tablets and have no paper. Five years ago the former Senator Joe O'Toole told me he would no longer take paper with him anywhere and since then he never has. He uses his tablet or computer.

When we return after the recess I would like to see a debate on genetically modified foods which are back in the headlines again. Last week we had a wonderful week of science and the issue of genetically modified foods need to be debated. Two opposite views exist and this would be the ideal forum for such a debate.