Order of Business - 5th February 2009

Order of Business - 5th February 2009
Senator David Norris: I intended to raise a couple of issues yesterday, but I was not fortunate enough to get in. My colleague, Senator O’Toole, managed to raise a number of them successfully. I refer in particular to the question of the rehabilitation by the Vatican of Bishop Williamson. I was interested in the contribution of a certain little interchange here.

Senator Rónán Mullen: Who is the Senator calling a “little interchange”?

Senator David Norris: I do not engage in personal abuse. That is a very interesting comment because Senator Mullen’s contribution yesterday included his usual mantra of appealing for calm and rational debate without personality-based or ad hominem arguments. He then proceeded to imply that Senator O’Toole was a clown and that I was ignorant, which may well be true.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney: Never.

Senator David Norris: I cannot answer for Senator O’Toole.

Senator Rónán Mullen: I implied that he was clever.

Senator David Norris: I am prepared to accept my ignorance as one of the great national resources of Ireland. Ignorant as I am, I heard Bishop Williamson on the radio saying there were certainly not 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. He claimed that the correct figure might be 200,000. He does not believe there were any gas chambers in Auschwitz. He has said that not a single person, Jewish or otherwise, died in a gas chamber. That is unconscionable.

Senator Joe O’Toole: Hear, hear.

Senator David Norris: It cannot be allowed to stand without rebuke. It is quite appropriate to challenge such views. The Holocaust was a uniquely catastrophic event in human history. While the overwhelming preponderance of victims were Jewish, they were not exclusively Jewish. This extraordinary and tragic event is part of our universal inheritance of suffering as human beings. It is inappropriate for it to be used to deflect criticism of Israeli foreign and military policy, for example. To use it in that manner, as has been done, represents a betrayal of the victims of the Holocaust. I hope it does not happen again.
I was interested to hear Senator Hannigan speak about last night’s interesting Private Members’ debate on human rights. The media has shown no interest in the debate, however. I issued a script but not a word of it was picked up. People are preoccupied with the economy, as Senator Harris said. That is natural because it is a huge problem. We must not allow matters such as those raised again today by Senator Hannigan to be blown off the agenda. The media has a responsibility in this regard. It cannot let these matters go entirely. I accept the economy is important. During last night’s debate, Senator Hanafin spoke about the enormous waste of money on material that is sent to us in packages. I got an angry communication from a constituent yesterday about something that was included with her Eircom telephone bill. The document in question sets out the life and times of the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, in one of its central sections.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney: I hope it is sent to everyone.

Senator David Norris: My constituent objected to the document on the basis that she had not paid for it and did not want it included with her telephone bill.

An Cathaoirleach: I ask the Senator not to display anything in the Chamber.

Senator David Norris: She did not agree with Deputy Ahern, although that is nothing to do with me.

Senator Cecilia Keaveney: I look forward to getting my copy of it.

Senator David Norris: She said it was not appropriate for the first shot in his campaign for the park to be included with her telephone bill.

Senator Rónán Mullen: He is a natural as well.

Senator David Norris: I am rather inclined to agree with her.

An Cathaoirleach: I do not want any document to be displayed in the House by any Member.