Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I lived in America. I lived there for a three and a half years as a very young teacher, from 23 to 26 or 27 years of age, and I had a vote in the Senate during that time while I lived outside this country. I continue to have a say in my country, while a member of the diaspora. I wonder how constitutional it is to rip that away from people without them having a say in it. It is something that should be explored.

It is unbelievable that articles are being deleted from our Constitution that were not debated in this House. That is one reason I supported the motion tabled by Senator Quinn this evening. Our Taoiseach goes around with the Constitution and states that he must live by this book.

That is what we heard with the abortion Bill too. All Members live by the Constitution but we did not give enough time for a debate on the constitutional articles that will be deleted. Politics is fundamentally about debate and that debate is about what affects people’s lives. Before we get rid of this House, we should allow enough time for that.