Shane Ross (Independent)

I support something which has already been mentioned by the Opposition side, namely, the issue of autism, as raised in the other House. I cannot understand why some issues are discussed in the other House, but are not allowed to be discussed in the Seanad. I commend the Opposition for its motion on autism, debated last night in the Dáil. I have been asking the Leader for several months for a similar debate here.

I am also concerned at the tendency of Members of this House to discuss any titbit that comes from the tribunal at an early opportunity and to use it as some sort of political arena for attacking the Taoiseach. I understand that there is a temptation to do that, but I do not believe this is a suitable subject for debate in this House. The Taoiseach is not even a Member of the House.

Whereas in the other House, Members may have some reason, political or otherwise, for a kind of daily diet of political attack as a result of the tribunals, I believe that this should be left alone and removed from debate in this House. It is wrong that people should base and create political careers on attacks made on one man. I am no friend of Fianna Fáil, and I do not believe anyone has ever regarded me as such. However, if this House is going to become a type of daily retinue for people to attack the Taoiseach we will undermine the tribunal and also damage the Seanad. I ask the Leader, and the Cathaoirleach, to restrict discussion on that so that we might discuss more serious matters such as autism, as discussed in the other House.