David Norris (Independent)

Has the Leader noticed a bit of a whiff or a pong around the place? I think there is a stink and it comes from the deal done in the aftermath of the abuse allegations. It is an extraordinary deal, prepared by a firm of solicitors acting on behalf of the religious, and it was not subjected to the advice of the Attorney General or the Department of Finance. It was signed off by Dr. Michael Woods, on behalf of the Government two days before the election. In light of the fact that 90% of the financial smack administered was diverted from the guilty to the taxpayers of Ireland, it seems as if Dr. Woods was deliberately or inadvertently acting on behalf of the church rather than the taxpayers. There is a track record of this. In 1987 the abortion referendum was delivered by Dr. Woods two days before the election.

There were suggestions on the radio that this deal was a secret handshake deal, and it was described by a senior politician in the other House as such. We all know what that means. There were references in this House to various eminent people being members of groups such as the Knights of Saint Columbanus and Opus Dei. They may well be members but the public is entitled to know. I am including on the Order Paper a motion that membership of groups such as these would be a matter that would be required to be disclosed to the Standards in Public Office Commission. People are entitled to know what pressures are brought to bear by these extra-parliamentary agencies on people who are supposed to be acting in the interests of the Irish people.

I deplore the fact that our business starts with a prayer. I find it offensive and I say that as a practising Christian who goes to church every Sunday. It is a rigamarole, it means nothing and we should be alert to the fact that there are atheists, agnostics, Jews and Muslims. It makes a mockery of the whole thing to invoke Jesus Christ as the source of our doings here. It is not that I have no faith but it is offensive politically.