Mr. Barry Andrews:

On the safeguarding issue, and the role the committee, Parliament and Seanad plays, the argument the Cathaoirleach has put is an argument against having a Seanad, Parliament or committees. If the committee cannot, or feels it is not able to, carry out a scrutiny function, I am confused as to what the purpose of the committee is.

I was in the Oireachtas and the committees play an important role. As I mentioned, that is exactly how Finland operates. It deals with these issues through a Finnish parliamentary committee and it is considered by the people of Finland, who are a democracy and peace loving and socially progressive people, that is a sufficient safeguard. It is a dangerous argument to suggest that somehow or other, parliamentary scrutiny is insufficient and does not do what it is meant to.