Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I cannot believe I am attempting to protect a third of our Oireachtas, a pillar of our democracy, which has been the base of our State for 91 years. We are moving to an alarming situation where our top Ministers will have a powerful, vice-like grip on power and the decisions made for all of our citizens.

"Reform" and "change" are words with which we are in agreement when it comes to our Oireachtas but for the Government to take a carving knife and sever one third of our Parliament off, as a sacrifice to the citizens as a pre-budget 2014 gift-----