Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is a serious subject and not suitable for joking, but as Charlie Chaplin once said, a day without a laugh is a day lost. The pre-war comedian, W. C. Fields had a lifelong grudge against a certain city in America. As he was approaching death, he was asked what was to be put on his tombstone and he said they should write on it: "All in all, I think I would rather be in Philadelphia." As I travelled to the Seanad, having torn myself away from the fleshpots of Kerry, I was not saying prayers for Senator Mark Daly. I was saying, all in all, I would rather stay in Ballybunion.

That said, by way of levity, Senator Daly has done the Seanad and the State a great service in succeeding with this recall today. I was unsure of this until I listened to the debate over the past two hours and saw the huge attendance from Members and the great and unaccustomed attention we are receiving from the press. This day will go down as an important day in the survival of the Seanad, which seems now to be becoming a reality. It is a pity the Taoiseach did not see fit to avail of the offers Senator Daly, our Leader and we made repeatedly in offering that the Seanad would fill this lacuna in Irish political life. Statutory instruments and directives from Europe are rubber stamped here on a daily basis and we offered to adopt the necessary investigatory and supervisory role. The Taoiseach rejected that and instead ran off with the populist and mad idea to abolish the Seanad altogether. It now seems likely this proposal will blow up in his face.

Senator Mary White pointed out the interesting fact that the Irish Kidney Association should be commended, because as one of the nominating bodies to the Seanad, it nominated Senator Daly and has used its power and facility intelligently and succeeded in having a motion raised on the floor of this House of the Oireachtas. This is real democracy in action - where a worthwhile and worthy organisation avails of its nominating power to have its business dealt with at the highest level. Those of us nominated by other bodies, such as trade unions, the Garda and so on, do our level best. We are not compromised by those nominations. Our obligation is to listen to our nominating bodies and present their concerns on the floor of the House. However, we remain independent and vote according to our own wits. This debate has been a very important exercise.

The recall of the Seanad, if it does nothing else other than heighten the issue of organ donation and if it saves even only one life, will have made this day worthwhile. I commend Senator Daly and commend the motion to the House.