David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Is that not interesting? It is par for the course. I would love a debate on the budget and I would love to have the budget a few days before the referendum on the Senate. We all know it will be a stinker of a budget and the timing of this is very clearly done. There is a continuing usurpation of democratic forces. The schedule that this must be taken after we conclude the Bill, No. 2 on the Order Paper, purports to be an information service to the people of Ireland but is another example of the usurpation. It is a function of the referendum commission. How dare the Government stick its nose into it. It is grossly partisan and wrong.

I have compared what is going on here to Grattan's Parliament and the way it was suborned. There was bribery and corruption and bullying. I have mentioned, and I believe it to be true, that jobs, promotion and preferment are on offer and that is one of the things that is corrupt in this House. The Government is up to its ears in it. Will the Leader have an investigation into the allegation of Senator Landy? For the first time, money has been specifically mentioned and financial inducements to travel to America. I do not know which side it was but it does not matter to me.