Cromwell's words, "To hell or Connacht", have been enshrined in our memory. However, when the Taoiseach was making the appointments yesterday, even at Minister of State ranks, he appears to have forgotten Connacht. I realise that he is a west of Ireland Taoiseach but a Taoiseach cannot function as a Minister. I am appalled, in the interest of balanced regional development, that Galway was forgotten.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

It is not just about Galway, but about Galway as the economic driver for the region. It has 250,000 people, is a cultural capital, is a university city and has attracted foreign direct investment, FDI, although less in recent times. The majority of the announcements are now in Cork and Dublin. The entire west relies on Galway. If the Taoiseach had read the reports from the Western Development Commission, he would realise that there must be balanced regional development. Galway is an important counter-point to the other regions. Why has Cork had four appointments? It is unthinkable. To be fair, I do not often agree with Senator MacSharry, but it leaves a gaping wound at the Cabinet table. Can the Leader say what the Taoiseach's plan is to redress the balance for the west of Ireland?

This House has no role in that.

It should have.

On another issue, will the Leader write to the chairman of the UN Human Rights Committee, Sir Nigel Rodley, who described Family & Life's submission in defence of the unborn child as "breathtakingly arrogant"? I ask him to remind Mr. Rodley that the unborn has constitutional rights in this country.