Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have just given the reason I am putting this on the record. It states:

Former Taoisigh and Tánaistí possess valuable knowledge and experience [which all of us know] having spent many years in public life and served at the highest levels of Government. The Sub-Committee believes that it is possible that some of them may wish to contribute from time to time to debates on particular issues, and some mechanism should be put in place to facilitate this.

The report recommended that former Taoisigh and Tánaistí should have the right to attend and speak, but not vote, in the Seanad. That is a very good idea, as is the vocational make-up of it.

On occasions there would be criticism from the Independent benches - present company excluded - of those of us who had come from the political nomination process. I am on the industrial and commercial panel and I am probably more qualified to speak about industry and business than 90% of Members of Dáil Éireann because I have worked in business, gone bust in business, exported beef to 47 countries around the world-----