David Norris (Independent)

The professors inform me in the letter about who will be on the platform. They have no right to do so and they do not understand the Constitution or Standing Orders. Every Member of the Oireachtas has a right to sit in and contribute to any joint committee. I discussed this matter with the Chairman of the committee, Deputy Ardagh, who shares my feelings about it.

The second paragraph of the letter announces a panel discussion chaired by John Bowman which will involve an assortment of professors, including my good friend and one of the three Senators representing Trinity College, Senator Bacik. I am one of the Senator's biggest fans and, having spoken with her about the matter this morning, she understands my concerns. The department of politics plainly does not understand practical politics. It is proposing to invite one of three representatives of the Dublin University constituency to address approximately three hundred voters. Senator Bacik informed me that she was of the understanding that all three of us had been invited. This is quite extraordinary. I no longer intend to attend the meeting because I feel like the Victorian lady who brought her harp to the party but nobody asked her to play. Having also received an invitation to an important film premiere, I will attend that instead.