Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

In the context of the Communications Regulation (Postal Service) Bill 2010, it was amazing to see how many technical amendments were made by the Government on Committee Stage and Report Stage. If we had a unicameral parliament, I wonder how we would make all these amendments. This is why it is important that Bills go before both Houses to perfect the language used in them. Before the Government moves to abolish the Seanad, I suggest it should carry out a survey of all the amendments made by the second House to receive the Bills, whether that was the Seanad or the Dáil. Such a survey will indicate that a bicameral system is required and that the proposals to abolish the Seanad are purely populist and without foundation.

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