Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am willing to second Senator Kelly's amendment to the Order of Business.

Today, there is a strike in the institutes of technology throughout the country. The institutes have had a 33% increase in students with a 10% decline in staff.I hope the new Oireachtas will address that issue and perhaps look to the highly successful apprenticeship systems in Norway, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. We have neglected that aspect of training.

I support the complimentary remarks as to how well and fairly the Cathaoirleach has chaired the sittings of the House. The Leader has shown the same fairness and helped to make this a memorable Seanad. He oversaw innovations such as the presentation made in the House by the leader of the Orange Order, the speeches given by MEPs in the Chamber and the addresses to Senators by former President, Ms Mary Robinson, and the Nobel prize winner, Professor Christopher Pissarides. Notable reforms were carried out during this Seanad.

On developments in Northern Ireland, my namesake, the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, Assembly Speaker, William Hay, and his successor as Speaker, Mitchel McLaughlin, have played a notable role in bringing us together in this Chamber. One of the strongest Unionists I have ever met told me after visiting the Seanad, "This is the finest parliamentary Chamber I have ever been in but do not tell any of my constituents". It would not go down well in the heartlands of the DUP if it were known how much that individual admired the proceedings of this House and the building in which we are honoured to come to work every day.

Some people claim the Seanad does not do anything but we have shown otherwise, even in the past few months. We achieved an amendment to the climate change legislation, for example, to secure a right for this House to have an input on climate matters. We secured agreement on an amendment to the legal services legislation to ensure the omission of representatives from Northern Ireland on the new authority was rectified. Senator Jillian van Turnhout and I succeeded in having the offence of chastisement abolished. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy James Reilly, full credit to him, was willing to take that amendment. In attendance in the Visitors Gallery for some of the debate on that legislation was Dr. Toddy Daly, son of Dr. Cyril Daly. The latter was a long-time advocate against corporal punishment. It was a wonderful moment when that provision was accepted.

Parliament should be entitled to ask questions. I agree with the former Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Ronan Keane, and with Mr. Justice Nicholas Kearns in his recent retirement speeches that we cannot be in a situation in these Houses where a decision is made one evening to give away €64 billion and we are not allowed to ask questions as to what happened to that money and why it was needed. That is a reform which should be pushed through in the next Oireachtas.

I join colleagues in thanking, as we have by our applause, the wonderful service over 23 years of Senator Feargal Quinn. I wish him and Denise many happy years ahead. I likewise convey my good wishes to Senator Jim Walsh and his wife, Marie. I hope as many of us as possible return to this House because we have played a notable role in the development of parliamentary democracy in this country and received, particularly in Dublin working-class areas, a huge endorsement by the people to continue that good work. Let us return in short order to go on with our important national work. Parliament is not a branch of "The Muppet Show" and its Members are not inferior to those who achieve political power through the barrel of a gun. We are in the tradition of Burke, Parnell and the other great orators-----