John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. With his indulgence, I might have a little bit more than three and a half minutes. Like the previous speaker, this will be my last opportunity to speak after 22 and a half years as Member of one of the Houses of the Oireachtas. I have no issue with the legislation in question. It is largely to do with ensuring the Oireachtas commission can function in the next three years in particular. I also pay tribute to the people who work in the Oireachtas, who have, as Deputy Sherlock said, fed, watered and supported us and gave us all sorts of advice over my time as a Member. Fantastic people work here, whether the secretariat of the committees, the cleaners - I used to have great gas with them when I was a younger, eager Member of the Oireachtas and came very early to my office and meet people you do not normally see during the working day. There are also the security, the ushers and people in the bars and restaurants who keep us on the straight and narrow as well. I also thank those who worked with me in my offices over the past 22 and a half years. My secretary, Frances, is in the Gallery. She joined me when Senators were first allowed to have people work in their constituency almost 20 years ago. I thank her, Pat Dunphy and Mary Ronan who was with me from the very start too, who have been in my office. I have been lucky to have them.

I agree with Deputy Sherlock in that perhaps now it is time to look at the workload of Members of the Houses and as a consequence look for additional secretarial support. When we first came in here, the mobile phone was still a relatively new thing. It certainly was in 2002 when I started. I got my first one a couple of years before that. Now, it is hundreds of emails; often, in fairness, the delete button is a great thing. I use it not sparingly on many of the blanket emails we get. However, the public deserve a response too and all emails are not the ordinary cut and paste ones we get so many of every day. In order to respond to them, it might be time to look at additional supports for Members.

I would be remiss in my last minute if I did not mention an issue that relates to the Oireachtas commission. In the past few weeks, I have had several members of my family and friends, people who campaigned with me over 25 years, visit the Oireachtas. The first thing they wanted to see was the bike shed, which says it all. How could a commission appointed by this House get the OPW to install a shed any tradesman could put in place for €20,000 or €30,000 at a cost €336,000? People are right to ask questions about how public money is spent. That surely must be the job of the Oireachtas commission into the future as well to ensure there are no repeats.

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