Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

Like my colleagues, I look forward to the debate on the forthcoming referendum on the abolition of the Seanad. We must make the case that this House has a role to play. In this regard, I welcome the Leader's efforts to persuade his colleagues in Government that the Seanad should have a primary role in the scrutiny of EU legislation. As I have pointed out before, 138 pieces of European legislation have been submitted for scrutiny by member states prior to their enactment by the European Parliament. While a total of 428 submissions was made by Parliaments throughout Europe in respect of these legislative proposals, Ireland was responsible for only one of them. Getting rid of nearly 25% of parliamentarians will result in even less scrutiny of EU legislation. The Leader is working to ensure the House will have one sitting per month dedicated to such scrutiny. I would propose that such sittings should take place more often.

I just attended a presentation on the Ballymurphy massacre, an issue which all Members should investigate further. We are all aware of Bloody Sunday, but there is less awareness of the events of 9 and 11 August 1971, when 11 civilians were killed in Ballymurphy by the same British army parachute regiment that was involved in the massacre in Derry. That regiment should be disbanded because its record on this island is nothing short of atrocious. The investigation into what happened in Ballymurphy is being supported by the bishops of the Catholic Church in Derry.