Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Aontaím go hiomlán leis an méid atá ráite ag an Seanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú agus ag an Seanadóir Ó Súilleabháin faoi chomóradh maith a dhéanamh ar 1916. Bheadh sé oiriúnach an tAire a bheith againn sa Teach le haghaidh díospóireachta ar an gcomóradh agus ar an bplean atá aici é sin a chur i bhfeidhm chomh luath agus is féidir.

It is regrettable that descendants of the leaders of 1916 are speaking about organising their own commemoration simply because they have lost confidence in the process. This would be a real pity. There is an urgency to bring the Minister to the House in order that we have a good discussion in which she lays out her intentions regarding the programme. Even if it is not finalised, at least she could give us a sketch of what is in her mind.

I have always been a strong proponent of the men of 1916. They took on the might of the British army knowing they were probably going to sacrifice their own lives in the interests of attaining freedom. They were not pseudo-patriots who went out picking up mothers of ten to have them killed somewhere in the backwoods and left for decades before their bodies were recovered and who shamed the legacy of those people. This type of activity should not in any way inhibit us from ensuring a proper commemoration and I would like to see this happen.

I concur fully with what Senator Mullen stated on Ebola and I suggest to the Leader it would be a useful exercise if the Minister for Health came to the House and, rather than having a debate, we had a question and answer session on our preparedness for Ebola arising in this country. The Minister is as committed as everyone in the House to ensuring all the precautions and preparations are in place so that at least if we are unfortunate enough for it to happen, it will be handled effectively.