I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by my colleague, Senator Ardagh, to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House to address the appointment of the Attorney General. It is important that this issue is clarified and I support her call for that.

Every year 2,500 people in Ireland are diagnosed with bowel cancer. Of those, 1,000 lose their lives each year. Bowel cancer is the second most deadly cancer after lung cancer. It is striking, however, that up to 500 fewer of those people would lose their lives if two simple steps were taken, lifestyle changes and availing of a free bowel screen. I encourage all those who are eligible, males and females between the ages of 60 and 69, to undergo this test.

The Irish Cancer Society is very concerned that only 40% of those eligible are undergoing this much-needed test. A leading expert in this field, residing in Scotland, has indicated that if all eligible people were to go for screening the number of deaths could be reduced by 30%. That is a striking figure. It is vital that the Minister for Health allocate sufficient funds to the promotion of this test and the age group of those eligible be extended to ages 55 to 74. It is imperative that this be done without delay and I ask the Leader to ensure that the Minister provides sufficient funding to save these lives.

Several people have spoken about the appointment of the former Attorney General, Ms Whelan, to the Court of Appeal. Everywhere the woman's name is mentioned we hear about her qualifications. Her qualifications are not the issue. The issue is the process. If this happened in a public service job the employer would be before the Labour Court. Was this woman sitting in on a meeting of the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board when the decision about the three High Court judges was made?

It is something else to tell us that three High Court judges were not capable of promotion to the Court of Appeal. Did the former Attorney General sit in on the Cabinet meeting that decided on her appointment? We are told we cannot find that out because of Cabinet confidentiality. This is the worst form of stroke politics ever, but as bad and all as that is, the political comment on it over the weekend, of huffing and puffing and getting as far as generating the wind to blow the house down and then deciding we would not blow the house down, really takes the biscuit. Is it any wonder that the people of this country are totally cynical about politics and politicians? What has gone on in this country over recent days with the appointment of this woman to a tainted position? She has tainted the court by taking the role.