Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

Whoever who comes in here in a wearisome manner, it is not I. I have never felt under an obligation to come. I have always been fascinated and delighted with the opportunity to come to this House.

The Clerk of the Dáil will act as Secretary General of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and I am sure the Leader of the House will accept that one person in that capacity is quite sufficient. The present Clerk of the Dáil was also a former Clerk of the Seanad. In background and experience, I believe he is well fitted to carry out the job.

It is not the case that every semi-State company has a worker director. The Ordnance Survey of Ireland has no worker directors on its board. That is one example. As the Senator knows, we learn something new every day. That is something I was not too familiar with previously.