I have come to the House today to say a few words in memory of my old friend and colleague, the late Senator John A. Murphy, who died at the astonishing age of 95. John was always so youthful intellectually that it was difficult to believe he had achieved the age of 95. He was an awkward bugger. I remember when I once had a motion down - I cannot remember what it was about - and I was giving two minutes and two minutes to different people to speak. John came up to me and said, "Can I have two minutes to speak on yo…

If it is not impertinent, perhaps it might be appropriate to send a copy of what I have said to his family.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Hear, hear.

I would not claim to be the greatest Joyce scholar. I would award that to my great friend Fritz Senn in Zürich who is 90 years old and still keeping his students happy. It is a very important and happy day. As Samuel Beckett might have replied, it is a happy day because it is the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses . In the early 1920s James Joyce was in Sylvia Beach's bookshop, Shakespeare and Company, bemoaning the fact that he could not find a publisher for Ulysses . I remember Sylvia Beach very well…

I forgot to say 100 years like the Senate.

I have received a communication from a very distinguished former Member of the House, Sean Barrett, whom we all remember with admiration and affection. He is very concerned about something that is happening and that perhaps does not have a direct bearing on the business of the House, but I think he has found a link. It is apparently proposed to destroy a notable beautiful green space in the heart of the city of Dublin. We are very lucky to have the likes of St. Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, Mountjoy Square and s…

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

Definitely.

Excuse me, could I just ask how long each speaker has? I am sorry to interrupt.

Thank you very much.

First, in the Minister of State’s speech, he refers to changes in the vehicle registration system introduced to help reduce road transport emissions. That will not work. He needs to put the tax on petrol, on the basis that the polluter pays. This is the only way that it will work. I had this out with Ministers before and they agreed but they said it would be politically unpopular. I believe the Government needs to take unpopular choices. I want to raise the question of children and books in school. We have a histor…

Bravo .

Yes, and I very much appreciate the kindness of the Cathaoirleach. I learned in the last few days of the death of Mervyn Taylor. I was very sorry to hear of his passing. He was a quintessential liberal. As a Minister, he spoke out and acted decisively on contraception, which was a challenging discussion at that time. He was the first Jewish Cabinet Minister in Ireland. He was also a chairman of the Labour Party. He was devoted, of course, to Israel. The only difference that I had with him was when I spoke out on be…

That could never happen.

Hear, hear.

We are not very welcome. We are deliberately made to feel unwelcome.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach very much. It is nice to be back here among all my friends. I will raise the issue of the controversy surrounding the appointment of Katherine Zappone. I am not terribly close to her, although I know her reasonably well, but I believe she has been treated extremely badly. Curiously enough, I was the person who introduced the amendment committing the Government to advertise government positions, so it is an unusual situation to find myself in. I cannot think of anybody who would be be…