Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The idea that the partners are all there talking without the Government as a partner is wrong. As part of the proposed Seanad reform I have put it to the Taoiseach's Office that this Chamber would act as a monitor, affirmative or not, regarding the issue of the social partnership. This has been accepted. Indeed the Taoiseach suggested it in his submission to the Seanad, which was a very fine gesture. I will remind him of it.

Senator Maurice Hayes complimented Senator Norris, and regarding Senator Mooney's contribution he warned us to beware of the Greeks bearing gifts. I thank my colleague, but I did know half of the saying — I fear the Greeks though they come bearing gifts, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. We are getting very classy, very posh. I thank the Senator for making his points, though he declined Senator Brian Hayes's offer to reconvene the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation for a particular purpose.

Senator McHugh referred to discrepancies in the electoral register. While his colleague, Senator Browne, raised the issue yesterday, Senator McHugh is fully entitled to raise it himself. My view is that the worst discrepancy occurs when a person attempts to vote only to find his or her name is not on the register. Despite having lived at the same house for 20 years, a person might be told by a polling station clerk that he or she cannot vote as his or her name is not on the register. However, this is not the fault of the polling station clerk but of others, and computers also have faults. Busybodies are sometimes involved in the compilation of the electoral register. I recently came across a very intense busybody who was very busy taking names off registers. She said that people had gone away when they had not.