Feargal Quinn (Independent)

For many years in this House we avoided the imposition of the use of the guillotine, although not totally, but there have been very few exceptions. I would hate to find that on the occasion of the debate on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill the Government is determined to impose the use of the guillotine to ensure the debate will conclude at 5.45 p.m. in order to discuss the matter of school transport. The debate on the Bill should not be guillotined at this stage. Therefore, I support Senator David Norris's view on the matter.

Senator David Norris raised another matter, that of Glencree Reconciliation Centre, with which I have been involved for many years. I was very disappointed to hear that it was to stop doing a great deal of the work it did. It is a real reminder of what happens when we cannot afford to do the things we want to do. Senator Katherine Zappone spoke about the danger of losing our social sovereignty; we have almost lost our economic sovereignty. If we are to determine how we will continue doing things we have been able to do in the past, we should make sure we take the right steps. The right steps are not the ones taken in Greece in which there is to be a 48-hour strike. Is there anything as ridiculous, with the country going bankrupt and in serious danger of losing its-----