Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Some of the Senators who said in the House last night that they want reform are the very people who tried to stab Mary O'Rourke in the back on the proposal she put forward at the time. The Senators know that is the truth. They opposed fundamentally any aspect of reform in this House. They wanted the rotten boroughs kept - I am not referring to people present - and they had the temerity to come into this House last night and tell us they are in favour of reform some seven years after that report was produced. I ask Senators to read what I said, which is on the record. I said that the case for abolition will come into sharp focus within six months if we did not move on the reform agenda, but nothing happened. I am clear about what happened at that time. In fairness, Mary O'Rourke had a clear mandate from this House but she was knifed along the way by the elements who now present themselves as the great reformists of our time. It is utter hypocrisy.