Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Darragh O'Brien. There has been much debate over the years on the reform of the Oireachtas, not just the Seanad but also the Dáil, and how we do our business. Many of the demands we hear possibly come from people's perception of the way we work within the Houses of the Oireachtas. A point was raised by the Independent Senators and I agree with the sentiments they put forward. If a motion is tabled by a non-Government source, we should not automatically feel it necessary to oppose it. I have seen this not just with the current Government but with previous Governments. I was often surprised when I saw amendments tabled because many of the motions we debated on Wednesday evenings were generally ones with which, in our hearts, we agreed. We were trying to make a contribution, first, to highlight the issue put on the agenda and, second, to provide information. We have specialists in this House who table motions, which gives us an opportunity to build up our store of information. If the motion is passed eventually without a Government amendment, it does not bring down the Government or radically change how we do our business. It does, however, give us an opportunity to flag certain issues of importance. I cannot think of any issue more important than vulnerable children . In the context of the motion to be debated today, while I am not being critical of the Government because the previous Government did exactly the same thing, when it comes to reform, it would show we are capable of getting out of the straitjacket of party politics and the way we traditionally have done business. We all know times have changed. Whatever may happen to the motion to be debated today, I would like to think that in the future, more consideration would be given to arriving at consensus rather than division when people bring forward issues that are fundamental to society and vulnerable people who expect us to give them a voice when they have none.