David Norris (Independent)

Although a member of the NUJ, I have often chid the media but I was aided and abetted by members of the Government party who went on the airwaves to claim that right. I heard them doing that, so it was not a figment of the media's imagination. It was a tidbit fed to the media by people who are obviously out of touch.

In regard to cheque book diplomacy, I would have thought given the history of the tribunals and so on that Senators might have blushed a little bit before queuing up with their tongues out for the €5,000, which is actually €2,000 more than some of them got for fiddling the votes on planning matters.

There is a great argument in favour of cutting the link. There is something incestuous in it. It is not just that they arrogantly wanted to appointed their wives or husbands. Do they think they are in the House of Lords?