Seanad report: The leader of the House, Mrs Mary O'Rourke, said she would be writing to the Cathaoirleach about "an extremely intemperate statement" by an opposition member. The word "homophobia" had been levelled at the Government side of the House during the debate on the Civil Partnership Bill on Wednesday night, she said.
Mrs O'Rourke said the Incitement to Hatred Act contained strong provisions. She would be pointing out to the Chair that this word could not be used in this fashion.
When she spoke in the debate, Ms Sheila Terry, Fine Gael equality spokeswoman, said she did not know if the Government's opposition to the Bill was born out of indecisiveness or homophobia.
Ms Joanna Tuffy (Lab) drew an angry response from Mr John Minihan (PD) when she likened the behaviour of the Tánaiste to that of a playground bully.
Commenting on the Bill brought in by Ms Harney to deal with the deduction of charges from the pensions of nursing-home patients, Ms Tuffy said that the Tánaiste liked to present herself as an upright person and her party as a party of principle.
"She knew when she was putting forward the legislation that the money was being taken illegally, and taking money illegally is otherwise known as robbery.
Therefore, she knowingly tried to legalise robbery. I do not believe she would treat wealthy people in the same way.
"I do not believe she would retrospectively apply a wealth tax or an income tax. It is a bit like being the bully in the playground," Ms Tuffy said.
Demanding she withdraw her "outrageous" statement, Mr Minihan said Ms Tuffy was saying that Ms Harney had two sets of rules for dealing with the public.
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The situation regarding child and adolescent mental health was not being looked at seriously enough, Dr Mary Henry (Ind) said.
Issues which were perfectly obvious to all of them, and which would affect children, were being permitted to develop.