David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let us be clear what this is. This is a triple stunt. Reference was made to excellent articles by my colleague, Senator Barrett. Even if the rest of us were dross, what he has brought to this House has been superb. I say that even though he is a constituency rival and at the next election we will be competing for the same vote. However, I refer to an excellent article by Vincent Browne in The Irish Times on 17 July 2013 in which he quotes the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, who spoke at the MacGill summer school in July 2009 about a new role for the Seanad, before stating on 17 October 2009:

I believe the Seanad should be abolished and the next Fine Gael Government will put this to the people. I have come to the conclusion that a second House of the Oireachtas can no longer be justified.

Stunt number one. Was it a stunt?

I hope we have the money to pay for television advertisements showing that glorious moment when Enda dropped it on Frances Fitzgerald, who was the leader of Fine Gael in this House but had never heard a word about it. Talk about a rabbit caught in the headlights. This was a pygmy shrew caught in the glare of a full regiment of panzer tanks. Nothing like it was ever seen in the history of politics.