Dan Boyle (Green Party)

This august Chamber has developed traditions, a proud history and a sense of character in determining how the nation should be defined at different times and in different circumstances in its history. Debates have taken on a particular significance. Confidence debates are meant to fall into this category. They offer an opportunity for a Government to justify its actions and continue in office if it wins the argument. They also offer an opportunity for Opposition parties to state why they should comprise an alternative Government.

This confidence motion may be the most surreal ever debated in the House. Instigated by a party leader in the other House, it does not seem to have the significant support of that party. It may not even have majority support in the party. The Senators next to contribute to this debate, in particular, do not support their party leaders. When we have a debate conducted in such circumstances, we begin to understand the degree of cynicism about politics in general in Ireland——