Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I am sorry I was not here yesterday to say that I fully share the views so well expressed again this morning by Senator O'Toole. I add one comment. Great satirical writing that lasts is, inevitably, writing that is a challenge to the powerful. What makes it great writing is that it is well written and challenges the established and powerful. To write well to challenge the least powerful and to humiliate the powerless is an abuse of a talent somebody has the good fortune to have.

On the question of what people write, I wish to quote some things that have been written. If somebody in this House said "the IRA is throwing down a gauntlet to the Irish establishment" or that "Bertie Ahern has probably pushed the process over the edge by throwing his lot in with the Northern Special Branch and the British military establishment", most of us would be outraged. When that is written by a member of the group of political writers in this House, working for a public sector broadcaster, I take great exception to it. It is the rule of this House that I may not name the individual. However, if anybody wants to know where this was written, I will tell them afterwards. I will not abuse the House. Neither will I abuse my position the way somebody here through public service broadcasting abuses his position and simply says it is his personal opinion.

Those personal opinions are inseparable from the job that person does as a political journalist and are profoundly wrong. I am not part of any political establishment and neither is anybody else here. We are elected by the people of Ireland. When one flies in the face of the Oireachtas, one flies in the face not of the political establishment, but of the people. Therefore, for political journalists who work in this House to issue such rantings is a disgrace to both politics and journalism. It must stop.

The city in which I live is currently a tip.