Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Joint Committee on Health and Children yesterday decided to accept a proposal to have presumed consent for organ donation. I mention it because we should urge the Government to move on that legislation as quickly as possible. That is a matter that was introduced in this House almost five years ago. It has come back on a number of occasions and is a reminder of the work that goes on in this House and that continues on that basis.

During the past week, France copied a measure that was proposed in House in regard to the origin labelling of food. It was contained in the Food Provenance Bill, which the Minister, Deputy Coveney accepted here was the right way to go but whose introduction he said he would delay, as I understand the French are also going to do, until they have a European decision in this regard later this year.

I mention those two items that were introduced in this House because they are becoming law elsewhere, not necessarily having come from this House. I suggest that when we come back next week, after winning the vote on Friday - the "Yes" side will be defeated and the people will have voted "No" to abolition - we should say as one body that we intend to reform the Seanad by passing a Bill to that effect. If all 60 Members agree to have this done before Christmas, we will show the rest what we can do when we are determined enough to do it and we will embarrass any Government that says it does not want to reform this House. I believe we can do it. We already have two Bills, but we do not need to pursue either of them to get this done. We might agree on a third Bill which might be entirely different. I believe there is room for reformation and I believe we can reform. We should proceed on that basis not as individual parties but as the Seanad as a whole. I think that should be done as early as next week.