Feargal Quinn (Independent)

The Cathaoirleach's ruling gives me the freedom to compliment a number of Members who are in the House. I can mention the names of the Members present, namely, the Leader, Senator O'Rourke, Senator Brian Hayes and Senator Dardis; I hope the Cathaoirleach will also permit me to congratulate Senators O'Toole and Ryan in their absence.

The document is very impressive because it is easy to read and understand but, more particularly, it is easy to act on. Often documents may be easy to read and understand but may not be easy to act upon. I was particularly impressed with the examples from other senates in other parts of Europe and the world. When I have tried to explain to people from other parts of the world and even in Ireland the concept of a second house, they ask why we need it, in reply to which the Leader has given us a number of examples.

When Bills are initiated in this House, it is interesting to note the number of amendments tabled and the number accepted by Ministers. However, it is even more interesting when a Member of this House identifies an error or potential improvement in a Bill which has already been passed in the Lower House. Ministers are often willing to acknowledge such errors or improvements and redraft the Bill accordingly. The example which comes to mind is the issue Senator Ross identified at the last moment in the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2002, in respect of opinion polls prior to elections. We realised at that stage that a flaw had not been identified in the Lower House and the Bill was stopped.

Another role of the House, to which Senator Brian Hayes referred, is the scrutiny of legislation which is needed and to which on occasion we do not pay enough attention. We probably would not have had the Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2004 before us last week, which we have asked the President to sign in five days, if we had thought through the issue when the Copyright and Related Rights Bill was taken five or six years ago. The Bill received a great deal of attention at the time but we did not identify the flaw which has now been identified.

The other question people raise is how Members are elected from their constituencies. When I explain the process and the constituencies, people remark that it sounds like an undemocratic House. The manner in which we are elected or nominated is not entirely democratic. However, the second house in the British Parliament is not very democratic either.