Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to speak on the Bill on Seanad reform. In 1999 I was elected to Roscommon County Council and I enjoyed working as a councillor. I did not realise as a member of the business community how - I will not say powerful - responsible a councillor and elected official is. I am delighted I was elected because I felt I was a pair of safe hands who would try to do the right thing instead of going on local radio. I took great pride in the fact I tried to do the right thing. I find that sometimes in politics it is not that someone does the right thing but that someone is on local radio, Twitter or Facebook making promises. Perhaps this is what people want but it is not the politician I want to be, and I believe it is not the politician most Members of the House want to be.

My father was on dialysis and we were very thankful for the work done for him by the Irish Kidney Association. It was then I found out the Irish Kidney Association was a nominating body for the administrative panel. It nominated me as a candidate and I was elected. I am very proud I raised issues with regard to the Irish Kidney Association. These issues are still being brought up in the Seanad by Senator Mark Daly, who was nominated by the association. I acted on its behalf and if issues arose I was very happy to articulate them and put them forward.

If I had €10 for every time people stated the Seanad was not fit for purpose, needed change, was an old boys club, a place from where people got elected to the Dáil or a retirement home I would be a very rich man. We are speaking about the Seanad as though it were fit for purpose. At that time it was not fit for purpose. There have been great contributors, and Deputy Ross certainly livened up the Seanad with his insightful contributions.

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