Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like other Senators, I express my deep disappointment at the decision by the religious orders not to pay their share to the compensation fund for their victims. It is really regrettable and one wonders if these people have learned anything, because it sends out a very bad message. Is it that they do not have the funds, or are they are not prepared to cough up? Now that we are coming to the end of the abortion debate, I hope the Catholic hierarchy may be able to take its eye off sexual politics and ask these orders to make a contribution. I am sure it could be very persuasive in that regard.

I was not in the Chamber yesterday for the Order of Business but I was extremely shocked by the statement by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, about the cost of the Seanad. The fact that there was a heated debate here has probably taken people's eye off the central issue, which is that a Government, before a Bill was properly promulgated in the Houses of the Oireachtas and seen by the President for his consideration, embarked on a campaign to run a referendum. Can one imagine the uproar there would have been if the Government had stated that once the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 had been passed by the Dáil it would be passed by the Seanad, would be approved by the President, would not be presented to the Council of State and would not go to the Supreme Court for review?