David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

When will we have another opportunity to debate this issue in public? The campaign posters are a shocking waste of public money by the Government. Let us not lie about this - it is taxpayers' money. The Government states it is party money but where does party money come from? The Government is worried about €4 million being spent on the Seanad, which has done a significant amount of work on legislation. The Seanad is different from the Dáil where Deputies have little fights and call each other names before the teams are wheeled in to make the obvious decision. The Seanad achieves things by means of reasoned discussion, yet we are called elitist.

I am glad I had Senator Crown sitting next to me when I was diagnosed with cancer. I did not go to the local butcher and ask him if he knew anything about liver cancer but went to somebody who knew something. That is what this House is for. I and many other Senators have had legislation withdrawn by government. We did not vote down Bills but persuaded governments to withdraw Bills by virtue of our intelligence, capacity and special knowledge. For this reason, it is vital that we keep the Seanad.

The Government can say party rather than Government money is being spent on the campaign. I doubt if the money for the posters I have seen was raised in a jumble sale in Tooreenydohenybeg. That is all I can say on that issue.

A unit of Ballinasloe hospital was closed shortly after €3 million was spent on it, while another €1 million was spent on St. Michael's House, an issue Senator Darragh O'Brien raised. These two sums would pay for the Seanad for one year. The expenses claimed in the Dáil would also pay for this place.

It is important to have a continuing series of debates on the proposed abolition of the Seanad. We must inform people because the Government deliberately forestalled by refusing to allow the matter to be discussed in the Constitutional Convention. People have suffered enough through cutbacks to services for the weakest and most vulnerable, including carers and people with cancer who had their medical cards withdrawn. We also had the introduction of a property tax and evictions. This is the only opportunity they have to give a good kick to the Government that screwed them when it voted for the bank guarantee, which I and many of my colleagues voted and argued against.

The House will be interested to note that the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs will discuss Syria with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade at 4.30 p.m.