Feargal Quinn (Independent)

In the wake of what happened Tuesday night and yesterday morning, we can blame only ourselves if the argument is being made that the Seanad should be abolished.

I found Michael McDowell's comments of interest in this regard. He argued that if the proposal to abolish the Seanad is primarily a matter of cost, then we in this House should focus our attention on how we might reduce that cost. Nor is it just a question of cost; rather, it is a cost plus a benefit. In this regard, I urge the Leader to allocate time very early in the new year for a comprehensive debate on how we can make a case for ourselves. Such a discussion will place an onus on us to behave in a different way in the coming year.