Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I quoted from the Bill that will come before the House at 5 p.m. My apologies; I picked up the wrong piece of paper.

When this State was established in 1922, we established a State with two Houses of the Oireachtas. That was 91 years ago. After 15 years, the Government of the day decided it did not like the second House and then put forward a Constitution in 1937. At that time it considered the options open to it, and these were such that it could have done without having a second House but it thought it through. I believe the Government, and the people of the day who supported that Constitution, thought that through and decided they wanted checks and balances in place on the power of the larger House, which was democratically elected. On that basis we have had a second House since then,and in 75 years it has served us well.

Since the Constitution was introduced in 1937 we have had the experience of looking around the world and seeing how few countries have maintained their constitutions in spite of what happens. I have not done my history and must get Senator Barrett to have a look at it. In 1939, the Second World War began and our Constitution was under very severe threat I am sure, but the Government of the day stated it intended to stay neutral and did so. We operated through the war with a Constitution which survived when many others did not. I am probably the only Member of the House who remembers that time. I remember going with my family to Rush on a Sunday in 1940 and being very excited by the sand dunes. The following day Russia entered the war. I was a little bit confused at that age between Rush and Russia and told everybody I had been there the day before and now the soldiers were fighting there. I remember this very well. I also remember my first visit to Croke Park in 1943. Senator Barrett has spoken about Northerners. My father who came from County Down told me as a young fellow not to cheer for the fellows in red because they were from Munster, but to cheer for the fellows in blue because they were from Cavan, which was in Ulster.