Seanad debates

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

6:00 pm

Photo of Jerry ButtimerJerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I compliment the Independent Senators on putting forward the motion. I begin by clarifying for Senator MacSharry that Deputy Kenny was not pandering to populism in his remarks. We have had eight reports on Seanad reform and the matter has been discussed ad nauseam. It is time the Minister, in the absence of consensus, moved forward and introduced reform of Seanad Éireann. I am disappointed the Minister did not refer to any future heads of a Bill or to an expectation of legislation for reform of the Seanad. It is time the Government, if it is intent and serious about Seanad reform, presented to us legislation to move this process forward. As Senator Norris so eloquently stated the process has taken us to the highways and byways of ideas and suggestions. It is time we had reform.

The political process is broken. We have lost our connection with the people. It is exemplified in this House by the fact that tonight in an important debate the Minister, Deputy Gormley, has left us. He is not alone in doing so. While I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brady, and wish no disrespect to her, the Minister dealing with a specific Bill should be here for the duration of the debate and should engage in a process of questions and answers, consultation and dialogue with Members. This happens on Committee Stage, but that is different in that it deals with amendments. Where we have statements, the Minister should stay for the duration of the debate and should engage in questions and answers and open a two-way process of discussion in this House.

We are in the midst of an economic recession. People are under pressure. They have priorities such as jobs, retaining their homes, education and child care worries. The media have generated much of the debate about the Houses of the Oireachtas which are under greater scrutiny. If we are honest and objective, we can state quite categorically that this House is not working effectively.

Yesterday in a vote of the people in the State of Massachusetts defeated a Democratic candidate who was 30% ahead in the polls four weeks before Christmas. They sent a message to politicians which can be translated here, and if we had elections in this country tomorrow the same message would resonate. The people are asking politicians to listen and to lead, to work on their behalf and to promote job creation, greater accountability and transparency in our work in this House and in the other House, and in local authorities. Our fundamental task in this House is to work on behalf of the people. We can do that by better structuring our business.

Senator MacSharry used the word "ambush". We ambush ourselves in this House by the way in which we structure and order our business. I do not mean to apportion blame to anybody-----

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