Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Earlier today, Senator Mullen quoted the German Protestant pastor Martin Niemöller who was imprisoned by the Nazis.

He gave us some parallels. This Government came first for the Údarás. It does not matter because we are not Gaelic speakers. Let it abolish the Údarás-elected people. Then it came for councillors. We are not councillors. Who cares about that? Let it abolish the councillors. Then it came for eight Dáil Deputies, mysteriously located for the most part in Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal. We are not from Monaghan, Cavan or Donegal so we do not care. Now, it is coming for 60 Senators. That is the track record and it is about time the Seanad stood up against this antidemocratic Government at every opportunity.

Let me address what we had last week. Some 29 people on the opposite side voted to progress the legislation. It must be directly from Joseph Porter's song in "H.M.S. Pinafore":

I grew so rich that I was sent
By a pocket borough into Parliament.
I always voted at my party's call-----