David Norris (Independent)

-----because it is so ineffective and it needs such reform. I do not think it is just women. Many people are really disillusioned.

We have really good debates in this House but I do not think generalisations help even if they are well intentioned. Poor old Albert Reynolds, who at the end of the day was a decent man, got into frightful trouble for an off the cuff remark - "Sure that is women for you".

Generalisation can be dangerous because they always conceal a complex situation. This is an attempt to create a situation where we have a more general reflection of the population and, as such, I can only regard it as democratic. I will support the amendment but let us get on with it and vote on it because that is the realistic thing to do. All of us are either women or not realistic or whatever. Let us be realistic and get on with it.