I refer ti the murder of the distinguished journalist, Mr. Khashoggi, in the diplomatic mission of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul. I heard representatives of the British Government talking about it and while some people had suggested Britain should cancel business contracts, including arms deals, with Saudi Arabia, their response was "oh no we could not do that." It is outrageous. Do the British and American Governments know what they are financing?

They know.

They are financing the spread of the most vicious form of Islam, namely, Wahhabism, and they are supplying guns and materiel of various kinds-----

Through Shannon.

-----to the people who were responsible for 9/11. It is utterly disgusting.

Second, I said at the beginning of this presidential election process that there must be an election and I am delighted that there is. I also said my old friend and colleague, Michael D. Higgins, was a little old, but having seen the list of candidates now, he is by far the best. He is an outstanding candidate and I will be fully supporting him. The other candidates are all decent people when they are looked at, but he is the single statesman, about which there is no question or doubt.

I refer to Deputy Frances Fitzgerald. I was one person in this House, although there were others, who defended her at the time that she was under sustained attack. What was done to her was appalling-----

Hear, hear.

-----and the people who made these vicious and tendentious allegations against her should now apologise. They forced the resignation of a decent woman and a good Minister and it is about time we had a few standards rather than just going after a head on the basis of imputation, suggestion and smear. We get enough of that from the press and we do not need to engage in it ourselves. I hereby call for an apology from those Senators on various sides of the House who disgraced themselves by their attacks on Deputy Fitzgerald-----

On the Senator's own side also.

I am not on any side; I am an Independent.