Minister ignores ethical problem with stem cells

I WAS very surprised to hear Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Michael Martin’s views on conducting embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) in Ireland in his interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland (June 29).

Mr Martin declared that if future work showed that ESCR produced cures for diseases, then he would be “open” to considering such research in Ireland.

The reason for the debate on ESCR is ethics, not the efficacy of this research.