Seanad report:David Norris (Ind) said it was his understanding that staff in Trinity College had been subjected to a fatwa over the closure of the university's drama studies course.
Noting that a Trinity academic, Anil Kokaram, had "won an Oscar" for film-making based on a computerisation programme, he said it seemed that theatre would be rewarded only in the technical areas because of the decision to close the drama course.
"I am very, very concerned at reports that have reached me that members of the staff are being silenced. A fatwa has been sent around, and they are told they are not, under any circumstances, to talk with the press about this issue that affects their livelihood and the standing of the university.
"This is ridiculous. I am looking for a debate on the whole situation, and in that debate I will point out that this stunt was tried by the discredited George W Bush when he went for the Dixie Chicks, and they got five grammys."
House leader Mary O'Rourke said Mr Norris had raised an important matter. "I can't understand it: a course that is getting entrants and is very popular."
Mr Norris:" It costs only €250,000 a year to run. The college is penny-pinching by closing it down..."
Referring to a Progressive Democrats proposal for the relocation of Dublin Port, Martin Mansergh (FF) said: "If we're going to move Dublin Port I wonder why we spent hundreds of millions on the Port Tunnel."
Tom Morrissey (PD) said an engineering body had stated that the commuting area of Dublin was now the same size as Los Angeles. That was not news to his party, which had launched a policy document that had looked at the relocation of Dublin Port. This was something that should be addressed. Did they want Dublin to increase in size, and were they going to force young couples out of the city when there was a 600-acre land bank in its centre which could be developed?
It was a pity that RTÉ could not show in its treatment of religion the same sensitivity that it had recently shown to a well-known celebrity, Labhras Ó Murchu (FF) said. Because of this woman's fear that something offensive might be said about her by another celebrity on a television programme, RTÉ had decided to pre-record the interview in question and then have it examined by its legal people.
"It's a pity that RTÉ can't be as sensitive in other cases. Every single week we have constant demonisation of the clergy and we see fun being poked at religion. We know why; it was because of the terrible scandals which happened in this country. But, surely, it's not fair to say that every single person who has a religious vocation should in some way be demonised in that manner."