John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

Last week I inquired about the Internet streaming of the business of this House to the media, by which I referred to the broadcast media. The only way to increase public awareness of the way in which debates are conducted in this Chamber is by letting the public see the work we do. This House is host to a fine level of debate with many different views being expressed. The debate is sometimes very lively, always useful and often non-partisan, as we saw this morning. I thank Senator O'Toole for clarifying the point, for those who were unaware of it, that our debates are streamed on the Internet. That broadcasting should be extended to television stations.

Given that the Government has agreed to allow Opposition parties in the Dáil to put forward their budgetary proposals——