David Norris (Independent)

Did I really? What frightful lèse majesté. I do not imagine that anyone has been guilty of such a lapse in the House for decades. I apologise humbly to the Cathaoirleach.

Senator O'Toole seems to have had an attack of political correctness. He bewailed the political correctness of the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, then came to the House and supported this motion. I have my doubts about the ethics in public office legislation because I doubt that it will make the slightest difference. Somebody who is a hook will be intelligent enough to get around it and it will only create misery and bureaucracy for Members who are honest. Nobody ever stopped a crooked person with this type of nit-picking legislation.

Look at all the forms one has to sign and have notarised simply to say one got nothing. One has to pay to have the things registered also. Why can one not get this back through expenses? One has to pay to say one got nothing. I understand the argument for a level playing field. Before I became a Member of this House, I was agonised with fury that the sitting Members had the advantages of free envelopes and so forth at their disposal. Now that I am sitting in the nest, however, I am not so sure. I also believe we are entitled to a little advantage, given the hard work we do. Since we obviously accept that spending money secures one's job, why can we not write off our expenses against income tax? It is a necessary business expense to keep oneself in play.