Eoghan Harris (Independent)

I strongly support Senator O'Toole's remarks about the question of politicians' trips. Normally, I find myself in agreement with Senator Fitzgerald on almost everything. I understand that in the pursuit of prudent expenditure of public money she would want to look out for that, and quite rightly so. I want to deal with the more general point. I have noticed in recent times, perhaps because of a touch of recession, that we have got to the stage where a kind of taxi-driver culture is prevailing in Ireland about politics whereby one must almost apologise for being in politics. That is a very bad habit that I am old enough to remember dates back to the foundation of the State. I can remember the old garrison mentality where people asked what would one want with that Parliament, why are they cocking themselves up there in Dublin and who do they think they are.

It is bad for us as a group to indulge that kind of populism. We are what we are, we are worth our money and we do our work. A cost-benefit analysis of attending the St. Patrick's Day parade would show that in terms of public relations, tourism and international exposure, they are the best value for money trips ever made. I speak as one who does not go on them. I would rather cut my foot off with a chainsaw than visit the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.