Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Okay. It is good to be back. It has been a very difficult number of months for every Member. During that time Senators endeavoured to do their work as best they could, although unquestionably it was under a cloud. Sometimes when the spotlight is focused on individuals it makes us all think about the job we do, how well we do it and, in some instances, how we do not do it well and where we can improve. In the last two years, to be fair to the Leader and to the leaders of all the groups in the House, significant changes have been made in how this Seanad operates, such as through the Seanad Public Consultation Committee and various other new ideas and initiatives that have been introduced. We need to do this in a considered way.

It is not just the Government which has that responsibility. I refer to the Leader's colleagues in the Dáil, and the Taoiseach. I would not necessarily leave it to them to come up with ideas for reform, and not of this House alone. What the public called for and want is political reform in all of the structures - the Oireachtas, both Dáil and Seanad, Uachtarán na hÉireann, and in how local government operates - concerning how politics and politicians serve their constituents and the people. What the result of the vote showed is that people value their Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann, and their political structures no matter how imperfect they may be from time to time. We must recognise that. When the Taoiseach brought forward the Bill on the abolition of the Seanad in this Chamber, in one of only two occasions he saw fit in almost three years to address this elected House of the Oireachtas, I accused him of performing the greatest act of constitutional vandalism. He was not allowed away with that because the public made the decision and the people are sovereign. The Taoiseach has accepted that which is good, and I welcome it. For us, as parliamentarians and Senators, our job is to move on. The campaign is over. People listened to our arguments.

I commend colleagues from all parties and none for the work they did during the course of this referendum campaign, in particular those who advocated a "No" vote, and forgiving those who advocated a "Yes" vote.