Maurice Hayes (Independent)

I support Senator White's remarks about the treatment of the Seanad on Friday last. We all came to do our parliamentary duty to find that no word or comment of ours could possibly make the slightest difference to the legislation as it was passed. The Seanad has been taken for granted and we should not accept that. We were told at one stage there would not be a guillotine and the debate would not be curtailed. As a result, section 5, which was the nub of the matter and which will continue to cause confusion and perhaps challenge, was never discussed.

I also support Senator Norris's call for the publication of the criteria relating to the decision to site the national children's hospital at the Mater Hospital. I have no interest in any of these hospitals and I have no doubt from what I have read that the judgment was made on objective grounds.