David Norris (Independent)

Beannaím do na Seanadóirí uilig agus ar an gcéad dul síos déanaim comhghairdeas le gach éinne tar éis an toghcháin. Is mór an onóir dom bheith sa Chathaoir stairiúil seo mar athair an tSeanaid ar an ócáid an-tábhachtach seo. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go pearsanta dom féin freisin. I congratulate each and everyone on becoming a Member of the 34th Seanad - sorry, the 24th Seanad - I hope there will be a 34th Seanad. It is a privilege and an honour for all of us. I have always believed being called to serve one's country in public life is the highest accolade for a citizen. To re-elected Members, I say welcome back. To new members, I say they will find the staff of the House extremely helpful. There have been many changes; many old faces are gone and many new ones are appearing for the first time. All of us involved in political life have a degree of ego but one should not feel discouraged if one is not instantly recognised or if one's name is confused by colleagues. I have been here for a long time and I am still often confused with another former Member of the House who was also a member of the Church of Ireland. Perhaps we all look the same. In any case, please do not hesitate to ask the staff or colleagues for advice or information. If I as Father of the House can be of any help, just ask.

The Upper House of the Oireachtas has an august tradition. Members have included the Nobel Prize winning poet William Butler Yeats who supervised the design of a beautiful coinage of the new state that was the envy of Europe. Fellow poet, doctor and Dublin wit, Oliver St. John Gogarty, was also a Member. In more recent times Seanad Éireann has been graced by the presence and passionate eloquence of figures such as Owen Sheehy Skeffington, Noel Browne and Mary Robinson and it is worth noting that Professor James Dooge sat in this Chamber as Minister for Foreign Affairs. It was the Seanad that provided the entry point into politics for the late Dr. Garret FitzGerald. It would be exceeding my brief to pay a lengthy tribute to him, as I know the incoming Cathaoirleach will undoubtedly arrange for appropriate tributes to be paid by all sides of the House on another occasion. However, I am sure Members will forgive me if I express personal sympathy to Dr. FitzGerald's family and the Fine Gael Party. These were all individuals who had a hand in founding and shaping the state in which we live today.

I congratulate the Taoiseach on the innovative approach he has displayed in making his nominations to the Seanad. It is by far the most imaginative selection I have seen in my 25 years in the Seanad, ranging through the areas of culture, politics, social justice, human rights, enterprise and sport. The vitality of the Taoiseach's choices suggests he has not entirely closed his mind to the revival of a radically reformed Upper House. It is a particular pleasure to note that, thanks to his choices, there has been a significant rise in the number of women Members of Seanad Éireann who now comprise approximately 30% of the membership.

Make no mistake, this is a critical time not just for the Seanad but also for the entire Irish population. We are beset by financial difficulties that have cut to the core of our sense of well-being as a nation. However, even in these troubled days, our spirits have been lifted by two remarkable visits achieved by the combined efforts of the Government and the President, Mrs. Mary McAleese. In one wonderful week the mood of the country was changed to one of happiness and celebration by the historic opportunity to welcome to our shores the Queen of England and the President of the America, showing again to the world in the words spoken by Yeats in this very House, that we are "no petty people", but a change of mood is not enough. This is something upon which we must build in the most practical fashion possible.

Originally it seemed, when the unexpected announcement of the proposed abolition of the Seanad was put forward, that the present Government, then in opposition, appeared to think that this could be done by the diktat of the political parties alone. They have now realised that this is not the case and the matter cannot be settled without going to the people in a referendum. This is as it should be. In all these matters it is essential for the people to be consulted. I believe that a fair case must be presented and it is very significant that following an historic Supreme Court judgment some years ago, a referendum commission will have to be established. This commission is constitutionally charged with putting both sides of the argument equally and fairly before the people. This has not been done before and it must be done now. I look to that commission for the vindication of the people's right to choose for or against the survival of the Seanad in an appropriate manner and with full and correct information.

Today, the Seanad faces its greatest challenge since the 1930s. To put it bluntly, we are confronted with the possibility of extinction. It would no doubt be politically easy at this time to make the Seanad a convenient scapegoat for the entire ills of the nation.