I would be grateful for the assistance of the Leader in helping me to get clarification on a matter. This relates to the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. The Minister for Health has undergone a consultation process with a view to making a final decision about the proposal to prescribe the title of physical therapist as a variant of the specified title of physiotherapist after an appropriate lead-in time. This proposal has been recommended by the State regulator, the Physiotherapists Registration Board and it is also supported by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, a professional body for physiotherapists and physical therapists in this country, which has more than 3,000 members. There is support for the protection of both the titles of "physiotherapist" and "physical therapist" within the same body. Organisations such as the Irish Medical Organisation, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and various universities all support the proposed change.

This is about maximising public protection and eliminating a widespread public confusion that exists around the term "physical therapist". The legislation in 2005 set out to protect the titles of 14 health professionals. The title "physiotherapist" will be protected but it is imperative that the second title of "physical therapist" would also gain protection because in the United Kingdom and internationally, the title of physical therapist is synonymous with physiotherapist and they are interchangeable but there are people in this country who have adopted the title of physical therapist having done short and part-time courses - good luck to them but it is causing considerable confusion because the public, sporting organisations or many other individuals and groups related to the health professions in the country are aware of the fact that the level of service provided by physiotherapists and physical therapists can be completely different. It would be great if we could get a decision from the Minister or clarification on what decision he has made.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames should not have to run the gauntlet for making the very simple point that there should be accountability when a public service-funded broadcaster is showing bias on a life and death issue. Colleagues in the Labour Party and elsewhere get very exercised, for example, about the fact that religious ideas and values are communicated in State-funded schools, even though that happens with the will of those parents and even though other schools are also funded.

They have no choice.

Where is the consistency? If Members only object to bias when it upsets their own point of view, they are not real democrats. They go on like harpies every time somebody calls for simple fairness.

Let us use respectful language in debate.

May we ask-----

May I raise a point of order?

Senator Rónán Mullen should be allowed to speak without interruption.

May I ask-----

I call Senator David Norris.

On a point of order-----

Excuse me, Senator, I was on my feet first. Is it appropriate to use a word like "harpies"? Is that what Senator Rónán Mullen means by reasoned and respectful debate that he is always prating about?

The Senator should resume his seat.

How respectful is it to call people "harpies"?

That is not a point of order.

On a point of order, a Chathaoirligh, do you ever notice a pattern that whenever the issue of life is raised Senator Ivana Bacik always pops up to stop the debate?

That is not a point of order.

We want fairness in this House-----

The Senator should resume her seat.

-----not bullying by the Labour Party or Senator Ivana Bacik.

The Senator should resume her seat. She is completely out of order.

I am not the one using inflammatory language.

You are the bully.

I am not the one who is bullying.

You are the bully.

May I raise a point of order?

Senator Jim Walsh wants to raise a point of order.

Will somebody, please, give Senator Ivana Bacik some treatment for haemorrhoids?

The Senator should resume his seat. That is not a point of order. Senator Rónán Mullen is way over time.

That is a pretty low comment from Senator Jim Walsh. You should rebuke him, a Chathaoirligh.

The Senator has spoken already.

You should rebuke Senator Jim Walsh for his comment about haemorrhoids.

Will the Senator resume his seat, please?

It does not sit well with the dignity of the House.

The Senator should resume his seat. Senator Rónán Mullen should also resume his seat.

May I conclude? I was interrupted.

The Senator should resume his seat. He is way over time.

I was interrupted. All I ask is for time for two concluding sentences since I was heckled by Senators Ivana Bacik, David Norris and others.

The Senator should resume his seat.

I try not to heckle other Members of the House. I do not misuse the making of a point of order in the the way Senator Ivana Bacik and others constantly do because they want to close down debate.

The Senator is being disorderly. He should resume his seat.

I am only saying-----

The Senator does not want to close down the debate.

I did not call anybody in particular by that general name, but I call on Members to show basic manners. If their names have to be called out for bad behaviour, somebody has to do it sometime.

The Senator is completely out of order. He is not showing any respect for the Chair either.