Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I think Senator McDowell's amendment has already been seconded. I propose a third amendment, that No. 4 be amended by the deletion of the second paragraph and the substitution of the following: "to be taken at the conclusion of No. 3 or at 7.15 p.m., whichever shall be the later, and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be adjourned at 8.45 p.m.".First, there is much talk about RTÉ LW, the long-wave channel, 252 again. I wonder if we forget those Irishmen and Irishwomen who travelled, particularly to the UK, during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s with shovels and nothing else. Quite a number of them live a very lonely existence today. Is it terrible to ask RTÉ to maintain the long-wave channel? I have seen the arguments. People ask why do they not log-on to their mobile phones and why do they not go onto the Internet. These are simple people who went to the UK, many of them sending home fivers, tenners and £15 a week to educate those of us who stayed at home or to keep those of us who lived in Ireland in body and soul. I would like this House to use all of its powers to ask RTÉ to maintain that channel for a period of time and I would ask the Cathaoirleach to row in behind that.

There has been some discussion this morning on the surrogacy report published. I have one thing to say on it: we live in a democracy and in a democracy everybody has a right to be heard. If my colleague wanted to publish a minority report, nobody had a right to prevent that from happening. I do not know exactly what took place and I am not interested. I disagree with many people in this House but I defend every person in this House's right to say what he or she wants, when he or she wants, and how he or she wants. If one wishes to argue with them, do it through debate and win through debate. There is no other way to win or lose.