John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support my colleagues, Senators Crown, MacSharry and Colm Burke, in asking the Leader to invite the Minister here, at his earliest convenience, to discuss the death of Savita Halappanavar in Galway. No issue has generated as much public debate as this in recent years and public confidence must be maintained. While I understand that it is probably not possible for the Minister to appear in the Chamber today, I hope he does so as soon as possible.

Senators Mullins and Conway referred to the television programme "Love/Hate" currently being aired on RTE but I take a contrarian view to my colleagues on the matter. If the events depicted in that programme give an accurate picture of the awfulness of the world of gangland, subversive, IRA and drug-related crime, then the programme makers are doing the State some service. The programme depicts the sheer and utter mindless violence and thuggery that exists in that underbelly, that largely unseen part of our society. I congratulate the makers of the programme and RTE for showing it and I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate, already called for, on drama on RTE.