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

These are my rather rambling thoughts at present. I am here at the disposal of the House until whatever hour and I am not here by duress. This is a Government policy agreed by both Government parties. We are intent on having this referendum and we will leave it to the good offices of the people and the sovereignty of the people to make up their minds on this issue. Change is difficult, especially constitutional change, and this in no way cuts across the very fine Members of the House who have made an exceptional contribution.

In Basil Chubb's brilliant assessment of Irish politics in the 1970s, he described the two fundamental powers of the Seanad as amend and delay. He described these as the powers of any good talking shop. We need talking shops in the country, and I am on record as stating we need a space where we not only hold the Government to account but also think out new ideas and ensure various groups are represented, but would one produce this talking shop as it is currently constituted? This is the fundamental question of the campaign. This is why in the collective view of the Government we believe it is important to put this issue. On the question of reform, there is no plan B. The objective of the Government is to place this issue before the people. We are intent on having a referendum in order that the people will have their say.

In every generation people have a right to their say. It is an absolute disgrace and scandal that in 1979, a referendum was passed concerning this matter but no Government since, many of which comprised parties from the other side of the House but in some of which my party was involved, has had the ambition or constitutional imperative to respond to it. This generation of people will have their say in the broadest way possible and it will not be an enclave, group or elite. The people will decide this issue and I will go with their judgment any day.