David Norris (Independent)

Senator Henry has indicated that three minutes will be enough for her. I hope it is not churlish of me to take most of the time.

It is a privilege to be allowed as a Member of the Seanad to attend the other House because there is a certain drama and sense of occasion about budget day. That was very evident today. I will note some local colour. I looked up at the Visitors Gallery at one point and it was crammed with middle-aged, male, middle-class people. There was one woman on one side of the Gallery and one on the other. The budget went a long way but it tells one something about Irish society that so many of the decision makers, so many of those who had lunch in Leinster House today and were in the Gallery, were male. Women were very sparsely represented.