Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will not use the word used by Senator O'Brien as it is unparliamentary. It was certainly a shocker and a whopper. It, too, has not been mentioned since. The two main issues put forward thus far by the Government in support of the abolition of the Seanad, including the creation of a star chamber as proposed by the Taoiseach and that €50 million would be saved, as suggested by Deputy Donohoe, have been blown out of the water. I look forward to continuing this debate should this legislation be passed. Those who support it have nothing other than codology to say, with which they are trying to fool the people.

There is another issue worth mentioning. Two groups are responsible for electing the 43 panels of Senators. These are made up of the nominating bodies and the electorate, made up in the main of county councillors. The nominating bodies take their responsibilities seriously. They will not nominate a person for election to the Seanad unless they have interviewed and vetted him or her. It is a stiff process. Once nomination is secured, the person then has to face his or her county councillors. As I said earlier, county councillors do not vote for fools. They put candidates through a rigorous process before electing them to this House. These people are legitimately entitled to a vote in respect of a chamber like the Seanad. They have earned that right. There is a real connection between Parliament and the people because every county councillor represents an average of 2,000 people. The quota in County Kerry when I was up for election was 2,500 voters. Those elected are answerable to those 2,000 people and the councillor who votes for them. As such, if one gets 50 county councillor votes, one has a lot of people to account to and look after. Councillors know how to use this privilege. They use us as a conduit to Government. We make arrangements for them to meet Ministers, present them with information, circulate them with legislation and so on. This will be taken from them. Also, university graduates will no longer have the privilege of voting for someone from their college. It is proposed that this system will not be replaced. This must also be resisted.

The timing of this referendum has been raised a great deal.

I would say a lot of midnight oil was burned by the mandarins to get this particular date lined up. Would it not be wonderful to take the eye off the budget or, even better, would it not be great to hold the referendum in the context of an austerity budget and make the abolition of the Seanad another saving in the budget? It would be very clever. These people are earning their high wages. They would probably be happier if they did not have to account to the likes of us either. I urge all Members to oppose this Bill and not to vote for it because they think it is pro-democracy. It is actually an insult to democracy.