I am glad to have the opportunity to touch on an item on which I believe we should clarify our standing. We should be proactive in our position on global terrorism, as evident from some of the contributions in the Seanad each time there is an atrocity underpinned by the type of depravity seen in Paris. We should not feel we are outside the loop in terms of responsibility.

I recall a debate in the House during the bombing of Iraq. A very vulgar title was given to the debate, which included the term "shock and awe". It is estimated that tens of thousands of men, women and children were killed during that campaign. At the time a number of Senators spoke. I recall saying I believed what we were doing there would spawn a whole new generation of terrorists. World powers are now competing with each other to bomb opposing factions in Syria.

One can only imagine the carnage left behind when all of this is over. We can be pretty sure it will spawn a further generation of terrorists.

We have had many debates on the Palestinian problem and know that thousands of people were slaughtered by Israel in Palestine. It was allowed to do so with absolute impunity and was able to get away with it, even though it was suggested by spokespeople in the United Nations that it could be held responsible for war crimes. In recent months, Israeli forces have killed 71 people, including young babies. What do we expect the outcome of this to be? In addition to the killings, it has devastated completely the infrastructure in Palestine. People can barely survive. Recently I spoke to a medical specialist in Dublin who is from Palestine. He goes back to visit his family. He says he has to psych himself up for days before he goes and he must psych himself up again when he comes back. He said one could not believe what was happening there.

There is an opportunity for people in Ireland, particularly at Government level, to be more proactive in our response to human rights abuses. At the end of the day, moderates are being sidelined in this. One wonders where the great diplomats of the past have gone. Where are the peacekeepers? All we are using is the language of war and the act of war and innocent people, as happened in Paris and in so many other cases, are losing their lives. We will have more of it, because the people doing this cannot be reasoned with, but we can reason with those who are moderate and must bring the moderates back into the circle.

Ireland must be clear on where it stands with regard to climate change and the environment. We must think about the economy, but Ireland has always been seen as being particularly friendly towards the environment. The farming community could take the credit for being the custodians of the environment. The language we use on this issue is important, because if we are not seen to be supporting what now seems to be a momentum towards finding a solution, we may find ourselves to some extent being regarded as selfish and not prepared to play our role.

I concur absolutely with Senator Ó Murchú's comments on Palestine, the appalling situation there and the lack, it appears, of any move towards a resolution in the interests of the lives of civilians. Any sign that the American Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, and others are seeking to intervene to try to restore some form of peace or achieve some resolution is very welcome.

I welcome the speech by the US President, Barack Obama, at the Paris summit yesterday, where he pointed out that the Paris conference was a potential turning point for us in curbing global warming. We are at a critical point to try to ensure we do not see it take hold, with the dire consequences we all know will occur. I concur with Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú's comments on Ireland's role in this regard. Clearly, it will be difficult for us to seek to meet the 20% reduction by 2020, particularly because of our agricultural emissions, but we have a duty to ensure we try to meet these targets. The House recently concluded a debate on the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill which was very welcome, but in the new year I would like us to have a debate on how best to implement the policy in the Bill and how best to ensure we meet our targets in the light of whatever decisions are made in Paris. I know all colleagues will want to join in expressing hope for a positive and effective agreement among the international leaders represented in Paris.

I commend the "RTE Investigates" team for its excellent and very powerful documentary which many colleagues saw last night on the sex trade in Ireland, in other words, prostitution and sex trafficking. It had some very disturbing findings. We are debating changes to prostitution law under sections 20 and 21 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015.

In the light of that, I have invited the makers of the "RTE Investigates" documentary to come to the AV room in Leinster House tomorrow at 12.30 p.m. to brief us on their findings. I have also asked a couple of independent experts to speak in more general terms about the way in which the law can impact on change in behaviour in terms of prostitution. The links between prostitution and organised crime were made explicit in last night's documentary and confirmed the findings we made in the justice committee report which led to the change in the law. I welcome this and invite colleagues to attend.

I welcome the Northern Ireland High Court decision yesterday, by Judge Mark Horner, in a case taken by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The judge found a breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in respect of the failure to provide for abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and rape. Clearly, there are implications for this jurisdiction, but the Leader has agreed already to a debate on that issue in the new year.