Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, I join in the welcome for the decision by the Constitutional Convention to give recognition to Irish citizens abroad and to extend to them the right to vote in presidential elections. Such a change is long overdue as the diaspora often is taken for granted, even while its members' importance for the welfare of Ireland, because of the status they have acquired in the countries of their adoption, is forgotten. They play a central role, as well as having played a central role in helping decision-makers in other countries to focus on Ireland when we needed such help. I certainly had hoped that a time would come when representatives of the diaspora also would sit in this Chamber. I would have thought this would have formed part of greater reform. Senator Barrett has put his finger on it regarding the referendum on the Seanad: we treat very lightly our people in Northern Ireland and our people in the Irish diaspora. Yet, the Seanad offered an opportunity whereby those who qualified for a vote could have exercised it. Today, members of the media were asking a question of Members outside as to how they would feel on Friday, were the Seanad to be abolished.

My own feeling will be one of sadness, not that the Seanad will go but for the quality of the preceding debate that was part of the referendum campaign.

One of the legacies that will come out of the referendum is not whether the Seanad will be abolished but the type of dishonesty that was part of the campaign. It will be interesting when voters reflect subsequently on the type of information that was provided to them regarding an issue that was factually manifested in the debate. They will realise that there will not be the savings that have been suggested or reform of the Dáil. They will realise that in the midst of a recession, and all of the misery that goes with one, their emotions were used to diminish democracy at the very time we needed it strengthened.