Proposed EU guidelines for embryonic stem-cell research were not an issue for the Dáil to consider, the Taoiseach insisted yesterday.
Mr Ahern told the House that the Minister of State for Enterprise, Mr Noel Treacy, acted on behalf of the Government when he agreed at an EU meeting in December 2001 to the €16 billion fund for "human genomics" research, including €1.1 billion for stem-cell research.
During a rowdy Dáil session, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said the Taoiseach was leading a "rabble" while the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, wondered why Fianna Fáil backbenchers were "working themselves up into such a lather about stem-cell research when the most needy children in society are deprived of crèche facilities because of the childcare cuts".
He accused the party's backbenchers of going into "revolt" only after decisions had been made - whether it was the smoking ban, the Hanly report, the community employment schemes in the Estimates and now stem-cell research.
Mr Rabbitte asked if the issue was sorted, why did a senior Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Batt O'Keeffe, attack the Tánaiste on RTÉ's Primetime programme on the basis that "she is doing a solo run and that the position is false and mischievous".
He asked the Taoiseach to answer Mr Barry Andrews' comment that "he is a dissident Fianna Fáil deputy because he is supporting Government policy".
And he said that the Tánaiste's party had been so loyal that "the pit bull terrier of the PD watchdog has become a sleepy collie on the porch that can no longer distinguish between the milkman and a burglar".
Mr Ahern said the Government had brought in far-sighted proposals in a number of areas with major progressive reforms. The Government parties had proper debate and analysis and it was a "pity that Deputy Rabbitte's parliamentary party could not have the open and excellent debate that we have in Fianna Fáil".
Mr Ahern stressed that "the Government and the parliamentary parties totally support the Minister's view which is to try to ensure that guidelines and proper procedures are put in place and that no research can happen in Europe without them."
Outlining the issue, Mr Ahern said that Ireland had "no reason whatsoever to oppose the programme" and the issue was not about money but about proper procedures, guidelines and safeguards in place.
The Taoiseach said the 2001 research council meeting agreed the €16 billion programme under what was called the sixth framework programme or FP6, on a broad programme of research, and it was agreed "with the knowledge of the various departments".
But Mr Kenny accused the Taoiseach of bypassing the Dáil "on a controversial and complex matter".
Mr Ahern insisted, however, that "it was not about funding or research in this country, and the framework programme would not normally be put before the House."
Mr Ahern acknowledged that the "details of the programme were not known at that time. It was a broad programme on human genomics."
Mr Kenny suggested that on that basis Mr Treacy did not know what he was voting for.
The Taoiseach explained that when the funding was agreed, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Austria, Portugal and Luxembourg stated that there should be a moratorium until proper guidelines, procedures and safeguards were drawn up. The Commission asked for 18 months and the decision was whether the research could go ahead without the guidelines. "Our position is that research should not go ahead in this country.
"We also believe that it should not go ahead anywhere until those guidelines and procedures are in place," the Taoiseach said.
