Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief, as I made a speech on Second Stage and made my opinions on the matter known at that time. I would like to make one point. It has been put across in the media very clearly that Government Senators are voting to abolish the Seanad. In fact, Government Senators are being asked to put a referendum to the people, who will decide whether the Seanad will be abolished. That is the basic question, and I personally resent having to listen to other claims. The earlier stages of this debate were very respectful but it has deteriorated in this session.

What is dishonesty? The matter of the abolition of the Seanad was put into the programme for Government, the jointly negotiated agreement between the Fine Gael and Labour Parties. It would be dishonest for any Member who ever stood as a Senator for Fine Gael or for the Labour Party or was nominated by the Taoiseach to fly in the face of that commitment. It would be dishonest of me to oppose this motion, because I knew when I accepted the Taoiseach's nomination that this was in the programme for Government. I respect Senator Mac Conghail for taking a similar perspective, and in my opinion, every Independent Senator should take that perspective. Any Labour Senator elected in this Seanad for the Labour Party should similarly take-----