Rónán Mullen (Independent)

Senator O'Keeffe referred to being lobbied in the AV room. One of the issues on which we have all had to reflect in recent years with regard to our economic woes is a failure of business ethics at many levels, particularly in banking, where people made short-term and self-interested decisions to the detriment of the community. As some colleagues will know, next week I will bring forward a Private Members' Bill, the business undertakings disclosure of overpayments Bill, the aim of which is to create a statutory obligation on undertakings or individuals who receive an overpayment to disclose it to the payer and facilitate its return. Ethical business practice would demand people disclose such an overpayment but good ethics should in many cases be backed up by good law. A briefing on this will take place in the audio visual room shortly after 11 a.m. I know colleagues are very busy but I would be very grateful if people could pass through for a brief outline of what the Bill will deal with.

There has been much talk about the constitutional convention and Senators Mac Conghail and Bradford have called for a debate on it. The article by Dr. Conor O'Mahony, a lecturer in constitutional law in UCC in The Irish Times today is required reading for the Government. What he has to say is very damning. He rightly diagnosis the very piecemeal, half-hearted and unstructured approach-----