Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I welcome the "Your Country, Your Call" initiative. We badly need to reflect together on what must be done to harness our national talents to build a better future. Congratulations are due to Mr. McAleese and the others involved. In that context, I welcome Senator Ormonde's comments on the teaching of mathematics. We need to find ways of deploying talented and well qualified individuals, but we also need to have a discussion about how we can continue to maintain quality in the teaching profession in order that teachers will continue to serve us well as a country. I would welcome a debate on the issue at the earliest opportunity.

I understand Henry Kissinger said 90% of politicians gave the other 10% a bad name. I fear what is at issue today is not just the conduct of the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, but that of all of us as politicians. We are back to the culture of looking for a head. It seems to enthuse the media and politicians like nothing else on Earth. I deplore a situation where there are no intermediate sanctions. There is no incentive for politicians to "fess up" when they do something wrong because they face the political equivalent of capital punishment. The Opposition ends up sniffing for blood, while the Government circles the wagons and the truth is the casualty. I would like to see maturity in our political process, whereby when people do something wrong — something wrong did happen in this instance — there will be mechanisms in place to undertake appropriate investigations. Senator O'Toole is of the view that this should take place within the House and I agree with him. Proper sanctions should be available in order that we will not have people in utter denial when the whole world knows they are at fault.