David Norris (Independent)

The Cathaoirleach could get away from it if he restrained himself a little also and showed some flexibility. This is the time that serious issues are raised. Let us deal with that situation and leave one hour aside because we are discussing it every day while other issues that are of considerable importance to the people are neglected.

I suggest also we should examine the role of the Seanad. We are precluded from having anything serious to do with finance and the economy. We are spancelled and neutered and we are not allowed or trusted to consider these matters. Let us consider the collection — I nearly used a word for which I would be ruled out of order — of people who we put in charge of the finances of the country while we as elected Members of the Oireachtas are not allowed to deal with them.

Senator Quinn raised the question of people out on bail committing serious and heinous offences. One of the reasons for this is that the jails are stuffed, partly with women. These are housewives who have not paid their television licences. When I put down an amendment to get rid of this nonsense it was ruled out of order on the grounds that it might create a charge on the Exchequer. That makes a farce of this House. We should be dealing with it. We should reprimand such people as that fellow from Goodbody Stockbrokers who had the unmitigated gall to call for cutbacks in social welfare. That is what I call the FitzPatrick effect — shamelessness. Mr. FitzPatrick called for removal of the medical card from elderly people while he was fiddling the books, cooking the books of one of the largest banks in the country.