David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister should not expect politeness from me because I tell the truth to my friends, even when it stings. The media in this country must be taken on and the Minister knows that. Politicians are gutless in the extreme.

Let me deal with the issue of honest defence. A petition to be sent to the Taoiseach from the gutter press has been doing the rounds, seeking support for the introduction of the American system in Ireland. We do not want the American system, as it is highly dangerous. The business of honest opinion is quite dangerous and needs to be looked at very carefully. One does not need to rely on it because what those people have said consistently, which I have said in this House and on RTE, and if they want to sue me I would be delighted, is plainly homophobic. I can comment on that because when we were suing the Irish State, I brought over Dr. John Spiegel, who was head of the American Psychiatric Association when they changed the classification of homosexuality and decided that it was not an illness. The word "homophobia" emerged from discussion at that time. "Homophobia" means an irrational fear of gay people.

In regard to what the piece of bimbo beefcake who was on the radio the other day, who played rugby or whatever, said, that I laugh like a drain, while I know people must be protected against this because not everybody can laugh, I would not like to be him the next time he goes into a barber because he also said he never knew there were any heterosexual barbers. That fellow is going in for a crew-cut, if ever I heard one.

I commend and congratulate the vision of Senator Fiach Mac Conghail, in having Panti on the stage of the Abbey Theatre, which was one of the great moments of theatre in this country since the time of W. B. Yeats. I thank Senator Mac Conghail for doing that.

I am delighted that this has been an all-party motion. It was proposed by Senator Zappone and seconded by Senator Bacik from the Labour Party. I do not believe there will be a division and it is absolutely wonderful that we are united in this way, as we should be. I pay a special tribute to Senator Averil Power. I was unwell at the time, but my goodness we had a champion there and what she did was absolutely fantastic. All kinds of people have joined in. Mr. Noel Whelan, a barrister, gave his opinion in print in The Irish Times before he had seen the programme. I wonder if he ever heard of hearsay evidence, the poor thing, God bless him. Then Archbishop Martin made up for it. We all know the expression that if one wants to know if the boot pinches, do not ask the boot, ask the foot. Archbishop Martin said the person who is offended defines what being offended is. Bravo to Archbishop Martin. He is 100% right in that. It was a good and brave thing to do.

Then there is the issue of RTE. The Minister has a role in RTE. I have tried to get the issue taken up by both the Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions. It is an absolute disgrace. I am quite a litigious person and I know one will never get an opinion from senior counsel that does not say there is always a risk. I want to see the opinion provided to RTE, and the Minister must demand it from RTE because I know bloody well it did not say what the director general or whatever he was said at the beginning. RTE was equivocal and kept changing it. Of course RTE was told at the beginning that there might be a risk, but it was certainly told that it was eminently defensible and no barrister worth his or her salt would have said anything else. By giving in so gutlessly to the bullies, RTE let down free speech. I do not want to pay my television licence after that. I despise them for what they did.

Who are their opponents in this case? One of the journalists has been referred to.