Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I support Senator Brian Hayes because this is an extraordinary position. I appeal to the Members on the Government side to rethink. I do not know who got at them or what motivated them to change their minds. I spent much of my time trying to ensure that the proposed committee had a Government majority, so that we could not be accused of hijacking it. I suggested that to the Leader because I did not want it to become a political issue. However, it has been turned into a political issue by people who either lack the spine or the compunction to make up their own minds.