David Norris (Independent)

I am happy to end on a high note and to congratulate Sligo. I know that these are difficult times for the Minister and that he will do battle with the Department of Finance but he will go down in history if, with our support, he manages to fight the mergers.

What a wonderful way to celebrate. What a brilliant idea to celebrate the freedom that we won, the parliamentary democracy that we won, by abolishing the Senate? That is one of the stupidest ideas that I have ever come across and it is an insult to democracy. There may be little forces around here that might collaborate with it but they will be exposed.