Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and the staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas for facilitating this meeting. This morning, I read with some disappointment something by a journalist in The Irish Timeswho is not here, I thought she might have been, which referred to the "last hurrah of the Twenty-fifth Seanad and a rubber-stamping of new laws". It is not the last hurrah. That same journalist spoke of the last hurrah some months ago when we were winding up. We are a serious House of politics, we are lawmakers, and I am tired of this Seanad being trivialised in The Irish Timesand other media. It is about time we stood up as Members and said to the public that we take our work seriously. It is not a hurrah. We take our work seriously and that is why we are here today. I want that message to go to the very heart of The Irish Times and hopefully tomorrow there might be some clarification of the point made by that journalist.We are dealing with emergency legislation to give sweeping powers to the State. I take on board what you have said, a Chathaoirligh. We do not need to go into all the detail now; we will go through the various Stages. I acknowledge the work of the Taoiseach and the Government. They have played a blinder and we must acknowledge it. It is not a time for politics, but it is a time for politicians to come together. I will say later in the day the time has come for us to focus together as a nation, as politicians, on addressing this evil, this disease which is undermining so many of us. Never has it become clearer that the so-called powerful are powerless. That is the reality of this disease. We need a national response. We need a European response. We need people who are outside the European Union but in Europe co-operating and responding also. This is a national and an international issue that needs to be addressed internationally by co-operation. I look forward to working with them.

I particularly acknowledge the work of the Minister, Ms Regina Doherty, who is no longer a Deputy. I see a woman on television every day standing up courageously at the front line doing her work for the State. I might put a bit of a plug in: there will be Taoiseach's nominees to the Seanad and she should be given due consideration for the work she has done for our country. She can be proud of that, as can the Government.

It is important that we work together. I particularly welcome the sunset clause because there are issues about people's liberties. Throughout this legislation we are curtailing constitutional rights of free movement and assembly of people. However, it is temporary, it is necessary and it needs our support. It is a national effort and a national team.

I appeal to all involved in politics. Let us at the same time as debating these issues work on a twin-track approach to getting a good strong government in place that respects the mandate of all people who were elected in the general election. We need continuity and governance. We need stability, assurance and confidence, but above all we need to unite to protect ourselves our homes, our industries, our farms, our jobs and our loved ones. We can only do that if we work together - the great old Irish thing of meitheal. We need to pull together and work together for the common good.