In regard to charges and allegations of bribery and corruption against certain individuals, I suggest that we have a debate on our return on the most recent report of the Standards in Public Office Commission. That will afford us an opportunity to discuss these matters more fully.

I do not wish to return to anything that was raised during the debate on a particular Bill, but I hope the Cathaoirleach, in his capacity as a member of the Council of State, will be paying a visit to Áras an Úachtaráin shortly. It is my hope that the President will call in the council and thereafter refer this particular legislation to the courts.

We are not discussing the role and functions of the President.

I am fully respectful of the fact that this is a matter for the sole discretion of the President. We all had our own difficulties with the legislation-----

The Senator knows well that the President is entirely independent in the exercise of his powers.

I am moving away from that. I wish to tell the story of two very wise retired nuns I met some time ago when I was agonising over the legislation in question. Everybody knows my view on the suicide clause and so on.

We are not reopening yesterday's debate.

I am not seeking to do so. When I was discussing the matter with these two good ladies, who served their full working lives on the missions in the Philippines and elsewhere, I put a hard case to them and confided that I was agonising over the issue myself. They asked whether I really thought women would wait around to be certified by three doctors, possibly go to appeal and so on-----

I have already said that we cannot revisit yesterday's debate. I am calling Senator David Norris.

I have no intention in the wide earthly world of reopening the debate.

It is not relevant to today's Order of Business.

It is relevant to what I am recommending and what I hope will happen, which would involve the Cathaoirleach himself.

Does Senator Coghlan have a guilty conscience?

I have called Senator Norris.