Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Perhaps it is because it deals with our survival and future, and let that be the case, but there are times I wish there were even more Members on the Independent benches because they have been great contributors to debates in this House and in recent days they have been the best advocates in public for Seanad Éireann. I salute them for that because we need rational and balanced debate at this time.

I also compliment those in the mainstream media, not because they are present but because in many ways they have not added to the frenzy surrounding the call for the abolition of Seanad Éireann. In fact, some of their editorials have gone in a different direction. I heard Olivia O'Leary make her arguments on RTE also. It is clear it was not as popular a suggestion as might have been expected.

What has come out of this debate is that when the people got an opportunity to examine the proposal, and the alternative, they were able to judge whether the perception about the Seanad was misplaced or arose because we do not get sufficient coverage in the media in terms of the more substantive issues dealt with here. Parliamentary democracy is the bedrock of a normal society and we tinker with it at our peril. If we abolish this House, and that is a matter for debate, and dilute Dáil Éireann we will end up with a vacuum and we can be certain that vacuum will be filled by people who are virtually fascist in their approach to democracy. We must be particularly careful in that regard.

Each party in the Oireachtas has already made a submission on reform but not one of those submissions suggested the abolition of Seanad Éireann. I look across at good friends on the other side of the House and I do not believe they will join in the debate today in support of the abolition of Seanad Éireann. If the intention was to focus on the possibility of reform, however, then let us have that but the Order of Business will not reach any conclusions.