Michael McCarthy (Labour)

In the 1930s, Tom Johnson told the House that for Senators to vote for the abolition of the Seanad would be to engage in a self-condemnatory act. It is my view and that of many that we have been honoured by county councillors throughout the country to be elected to this House on the vocational panels. I consider it a privilege and I consider it insulting for any sitting Senator to propose the abolition of the Seanad. Those Senators should resign their seats or at least get off the Seanad reform committee. That committee was established to examine various ways of reforming the House and there is cross-party consensus that it should be reformed. However, to engage in populist political point scoring undermines democracy and the role we play as Senators.

This morning, the Irish Independent reports that the MBNA credit card company is engaging in scare and heavy-handed tactics. It rings, texts and e-mails people up to seven, eight, nine or ten times per day. I call for a debate on the manner in which financial institutions are repossessing people's houses, and bullying and harassing them in the workplace to retrieve the money that they owe. These are unprecedented economic times and people are in huge difficulties. The political system is ignoring this. While the Government is recapitalising banks and bailing them out, we are ignoring the most fundamental need of people. This financial hardship is causing huge psychological damage and breaking families apart. To think that credit card companies which engage in practices that are questionable to say the least can get away with this is offensive and something should be done about it.