Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

As a matter of urgency, could the Leader arrange for the appropriate Minister to attend the House for a debate on the image of Seanad Éireann, in particular on how to improve it? As I am sure we are all aware at this point, the image of Seanad Éireann is low in the minds of most people in terms of its usefulness and the role it plays. It is not an extreme statement to make that our public relations are abominable. We did not cover ourselves in glory in this regard in recent weeks. While many of us welcomed that some Members of the House might seek to go to the Phoenix Park to work, it would have been good manners and courtesy at least to consult the rest of us before being consigned to "Jurassic Park". A Minister of State announced that we would go there. Is it any wonder that the public's perception is what it is if, as Members of the Oireachtas and this House, we are treated with that level of disdain and contempt? As someone in his sixth year as a Member of this House, I have had enough of the perception through the media of the uselessness of the House. Were the public truly informed of the level of debate and scrutiny of legislation that occurs in the House, it would have much more confidence in the political system.