Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will not delay the House as I have already contributed on Second Stage and on a number of occasions on Committee Stage. Suffice to say I have been watching with some interest the media campaign that has been going on, which has been alluded to by a number of Senators. It staggered me that because of the way the debate went here in the last week or two, particularly in regard to the abortion issue, which perhaps is the most emotive and divisive to come before both Houses, somehow there was a suggestion among the commentariat that we had let ourselves down. I do not understand that. This is a political Chamber as much as anything else. It may not be seen to be as adversarial as the Dáil but it is still a political Chamber and people still have opinions. People hold very strong opinions in regard to the Bill on abortion and also in regard to the Bill before us here - why would they not, particularly in regard to the abolition of Seanad Éireann? Are we to go meekly like lambs to the slaughter? It is important, indeed essential, that people on all sides of the House should express their opinions. What I have noticed is that there is a continuing exchange or dialogue going on through the letters pages of all of the national newspapers. Unlike some issues that tend to come and go as flavour of the month, this one has been running for quite some time, and I believe it will run right up to the time of the referendum.

I agree with everybody who has made the following point. I cannot for the life of me understand why the Taoiseach decided that it was going to be a "Yes" or "No" vote on abolition. However, it is plainly obvious that he wants to be rid of the House and that he does not really want to have any debate or discussion about it. As far as he is concerned, and listening to the deputy director of the campaign most recently on radio, there is no need for it whatsoever. That is what this debate has been about, namely, to have an exchange of views to justify the reasons this House should continue. We are now in the final analysis and it will be down to the people to decide.

I will leave the House with this thought, which I mentioned on Second Stage. It has been only on very rare occasions that a lack of political consensus on a referendum has actually ensured the passage of that referendum.

There is no political consensus on this matter in the country. Let the people decide.