James Heffernan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----which is one arm of the Oireachtas equal to the Dáil and the Presidency. It is not to be debated there at all. What a load of rubbish. It is complete bunkum. I do not know whether that word is allowed but that is what I feel.

It is very alarming - I think this goes for every citizen - to see how dictatorial the Government has become. Power and decision-making are in the hands of - I do not want to be ageist but let us face up to it - a few grey haired old fellows. More dangerously, they are in the hands of unelected and totally unaccountable spin doctors, the guys in dark suits who lurk around these great men and earn double and, in some cases, more than double what a Senator earns. They never have to face public scrutiny or stand before the people to account for their actions.

The Taoiseach's assertion that we have too many politicians is absurd in the extreme and populist bloody nonsense. I, for one, will not support the Bill, either in the Chamber, on any doorstep or in the ballot box.