Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know by definition if there is a debate there are two viewpoints, if not many more. If the Minister paid attention to the events that took place, he would see the circumstances of how they took place, what the outcomes were and who had the power and authority to do what was done, and to do it suddenly like a field marshal. I will not use another phrase for it but it is not good behaviour. There were only two weeks to go.

The circumstances indicated there could have been a gradual, courteous, consensual change of address within the Oireachtas. The fact is that punishment had to be seen to be meted out. If the Minister believes the chairman of the Oireachtas commission should be somebody who likes to mete out punishment, we would be in an even stranger place than I thought. A civil servant, given the protection and responsibility in this, can say that there must be order and cordiality here. I do not care what political parties or groupings have particular power by dint of numbers but that civil servant servant should ensure that there is civility here. It is like M. Scott Peck's book, A World Waiting to be Born, in search of civility. We are missing that. Perhaps it is a worthy book for summer reading in all organisations. We are an organisation, the democratic cardiovascular system.

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