Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Okay, I will say, "untruth". But it is disgusting that after that statement by the leader of the Minister of State's party who is now the Taoiseach, ten people changed their minds and five people fell. That is the result of 2013.

I went to the Seanad to listen to that debate and the manipulation was incredible. They tried to tell us that the Bill was a case of preparing the runway for the people to decide whether there would be a Seanad. The people were not fooled and they are not fooled as they turn out about water charges which is again another Bill that was pushed through under a whip. I want to now stop talking about the whip. I want to talk about the safeguard for all of us in this House, that we work for the people and we debate for the people and we hold the Government to account.

Last night I received a note from a wonderful lady, a hero of the 21st century. Her name is Elaha Azinfar, an Iranian. She works with Maryam Rajavi, who is also a hero, a Mahatma Gandhi-type figure of our time, holding out for the liberation of the Iranian people from the Supreme Leader and mullahs of Iran, who govern their own people tyrannically. Ms Azinfar resists bravely, having lost relatives to execution and imprisonment. Her note states, "Dear Peter, good luck with tomorrow's debate". She has sent me a little package of truthful information.

The Taoiseach did not even send me a text. I met him last Thursday just outside the doors of the Chamber and said to him there is nothing to be afraid of in this Bill. It is a constitutional safeguard and does not refer to procedures. Rather, it sets out an atmosphere for us all to work for the people. I asked the Taoiseach not to be afraid and told him that, as leader of this country, he should claim the Bill and bring it into the Chamber as themodus operandi reflecting our duty and solemn responsibility to our people, irrespective of whether there are parties, coalitions or majorities, or whether there is a Parliament entirely comprised of Independents.

I gave an example of a hypothetical new party with unanimous approval for its policies and outlined the circumstances that would obtain if there were an event that rendered those policies inappropriate for the well-being of the country. I outlined why it would be necessary for a Member to use his conscience and not a scrupulous neurotic checklist from early childhood. I refer to a grown-up conscience that ordains what is not appropriate and that would lead a servant of the people to change policy. Any fool who does not do so is letting the people down. What is the Taoiseach afraid of? The Government has between now and Tuesday to liberate its supporters as true parliamentarians so they will make up their own minds on this proposal for the Constitution.

The Taoiseach thanked me for my proposal and I asked him to run with it, take the credit and do the laps of honour around Croke Park for getting it into our Constitution to safeguard our parliamentarians. He thanked me and said he appreciated that. Do Members know what he did over the weekend? I asked the Chief Whip, Deputy Paul Kehoe, what was happening and for a sounding on this, and he said the Government would not be supporting it. I asked him what he was afraid of. I asked the Taoiseach during the lull before a vote what happened over the weekend and he said he had to take advice from the Attorney General. That is rubbish; he does not. This is a new constitutional proposal. The country needs to know that the Attorney General is the servant of the Government and protects it from breaking the law or acting contrary to the Constitution. That is his or her job. For the Taoiseach to say he took advice from the Attorney General is rubbish. How dare anybody with such authority and power, and with such a majority, try to fool us.

Where is the Taoiseach? Is it at Davos? I stated we are lucky to be debating this Bill because the choice of business is a lottery. The Bill was drawn out like a ticket. It is a ticket that is worthy and that can save us. This type of constitutional provision saves Germany, Lithuania and all the other countries I mentioned. It saves their parliamentarians from the dangers of infiltration, undermining activities and corruption of power. Members will have heard about the EMC and such phenomena. Let us pay attention to the amber lights. Are we to tear up the lottery ticket that brought about this debate today? It is a winner for the people of Ireland and the Parliament. Do not tear it up, please.

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