Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

It is hard to follow those great and stirring words from Senator O'Rourke, not that I believe the Minister will listen, even though the contribution of such an eminent and long-standing Member of both Houses of the Oireachtas should be taken on board. One should have thought that if we had any sense and the system worked, the views of someone like Senator O'Rourke would be taken into account. It is not too late. There is still time for a fine independent Offaly man, such as the Minister is known to be, to do that. It might not be a bad idea for the Minister to put down a marker in terms of how he intends to carry out his business in the future.

It will be a grave insult to the House if this amendment is not taken on board for the reasons Senator O'Rourke and other Members have pointed out. We are being treated as lesser citizens in this legislation. The way it is framed puts us in an entirely weakened position in relation to the important commission being set up to run the business of both Houses. Within that context we are to be given the status of second class citizens by virtue of the fact that we do not have equality of standing within the commission's membership. It simply is not good enough.