Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I join others in welcoming the passage of the Bill. I congratulate Senator Bacik who pioneered the legislation and hope the Bill has a speedy transition through the other House. Some issues with regard to a legal opinion have been raised and I am sure the Minister will consider that with his officials between now and then. I hope the legislation moves quickly and that it does not sit between the Whips in the other House. The officials have said it will move through the Dáil and be enacted very quickly.

I said in my contribution the last day we discussed this issue that it was a shame that when legislation such as this is brought forward in the Houses, the media benches remain empty. It is hypocrisy in the extreme for the media to offer a comment on the future of the Seanad, its workings, what it does or should do when it treats the Seanad with contempt and ignores legislation like this that is initiated and passed here and ignores the leadership being shown here, on this occasion by Senator Bacik. I will bring forward private Members' Bills and other Bills over the coming months and hope the media will choose to engage in the processes which will take place and help to inform the public before they make a decision. Heretofore, the public has been very much led down a specific path by the media. However, that issue is for another day.

I welcome the passing of the legislation and hope it has a quick transition through the other House, notwithstanding the Minister's deliberations on the legal issues which have been raised.