Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I am pleased the Cathaoirleach gave Senator O'Toole latitude to express his view. I will not elaborate in detail but, as a long-serving Member of both Houses, I resent that a person who has only been in politics a wet day is coming here in an open-necked shirt and criticising politicians with such rhetoric. How many people in this House have rung constituents at 10.30 p.m. only for them to ask whether we were still working? People do not have a concept of the hours politicians put in. This Member is fuelling cynicism in regard to the body politic with such comments. I am glad the Cathaoirleach has given us latitude because similar latitude would not be allowed in the Lower House to counteract statements of this nature. Comments such as these are disgraceful, coming from a gentleman who does not even understand or appreciate politics.