I agree with the remarks of Senator Crown on the composition of the inquiry set up to investigate the Galway tragedy. All the people appointed are credible but we now have a problem that must be dealt with and it cannot be allowed to run on and on. It is important for everyone, including the family concerned, all the medical staff in Galway, the consultants and nursing staff, that there is an inquiry which is seen to be fair and accurate and which brings forward a report outlining how this matter should have been managed and how similar situations should be managed in future. It is something we cannot allow to go on ad infinitum. The composition should be revisited to ensure it is seen to be fair and to ensure it has the ability to deliver an accurate and fair report on this incident. I agree with Senator Crown. Given that there are three people from the hospital involved concerns have been raised in the public domain and these must be tackled at an early stage.

What about the HSE representatives?

In fairness to everyone involved there should be some compromise by everyone. There is no way something can be delivered that will satisfy all parties. Anyway, this must be examined at the earliest possible date and I call on the Leader to convey this to the Minister for Health. I realise it is not possible for the Minister to come to the House today but it should be dealt with at the earliest possible date.

I second the amendment to the Order of Business by Senator John Crown. I agree wholeheartedly with him. If we are to have an investigation into these matters it is vital that it should be credible, as Senator Crown has rightly pointed out. That is not to impugn the expertise or contribution of these fine medical professionals. There is no doubt that they could probably play a vital role as expert witnesses in any investigation, but it is wholly inappropriate to have an investigative body that includes those who are effectively members of the same team. It is absolutely not credible and it is important in the interests of everyone concerned that it would include people who are absolutely not connected in any way to this institution.

I call for a debate on agriculture to be arranged in the not too distant future. I realise there have been debates in the past about Common Agricultural Policy reform and so on but it is vital to have another. Despite the best intentions of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, to represent all farming interests, some smaller farmers, especially those along the western seaboard and in the north west of the country, are not being adequately catered for. There are proposals to change how commonage is catered for. This is completely discriminatory in terms of how the Government envisages taking it forward.

There are other issues of concern in terms of a prioritising of those with larger holdings, who have scale and fertility in the context of what they can produce, rather than those with smaller holdings throughout the country. Given the world food crisis and the role that agriculture can play in our economic recovery, we must do our best to keep all of those involved in agriculture on the land to allow them to make the best contribution they can.

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.

The points made by Senator Crown and others today must be taken very seriously. The principle that justice must not just be done, but be seen to be done, applies to any kind of inquiry in the public interest. Today I wonder whether the reset button will have to be pressed on this inquiry. It is not just about the Galway membership of the inquiry team but from the chairperson down, anyone who has been known, or seen, to be involved in any advocacy on any side of this issue, given how fite fuaite it has become with the issue of abortion, should not be involved. Such involvement would lessen my confidence in the impartiality of the inquiry. There may be issues to be examined across the board and not just regarding the Galway membership of the inquiry team. I have concerns at this point.

It is tragic because it is quite clear that we must await the outcome of the inquiry into what happened to the late Savita Halappanavar before we can have any credible or coherent debate about the issue of abortion. Clearly there has been a hijacking of this issue, very sadly, by people who have a very radical agenda. That is why I am particularly disappointed that Sinn Féin has chosen to make the running by seeking legislation for the X case at this point when it is quite clear from the utterances of spokespeople from that party that they have not considered, or do not seem to know, the precise implications of that case. It goes far beyond anything that could be described as necessary medical interventions and that is simply inexcusable. Given the information that we heard over the weekend, namely, that elements in Sinn Féin and perhaps also in the Labour Party, are part of a pro-choice network who seem to have had advance notice of this case, who seem to have been planning a campaign of some kind ---

Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?

There are some really troubling issues here and for that reason ---

I see partyism is alive and well.

Does the Senator have a question?

We must proceed with great calm and caution. I ask the Leader to ensure that we hear from the Minister because we need to get the right inquiry into what happened. We must await the findings of that inquiry before we can resume a calm and coherent debate about where we go from here.