Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Order of Business is No. 1, Private Members' business, which will be motion No. 9 of No. 43, non-Government motions, on the Order Paper, and No. 2, statements on political reform, which I intend to insert on a Supplementary Order Paper to be issued to Members. I propose that No. 2 be taken after the Private Members' motion for two hours and that all Senators be allocated five minutes to speak.

Before we commence, I wish to notify Members that the reason for the two-day sitting this week is that it was, naturally, very difficult to predict how this week would work out. I anticipate that the House will return to the normal three-day sitting next week, provided there is sufficient business to be dealt with. I hope that following Saturday's result we will receive a great deal more co-operation with regard to the scheduling of business. I will certainly continue my efforts in that regard, as I have done in the House to date. While Members are satisfied with the outcome of the referendum, I hope there will not be too much retaliation or recrimination about the campaign or individuals associated with it on the Order of Business today. It is my strong belief that with the mandate we have received we should now move on to doing the valuable legislative work the people of Ireland expect us to do. I strongly hope we can do that in the professional, productive and collegiate manner that has been such a positive feature of this 24th Seanad.

I am not in a position today to answer any questions about reform of the Seanad. The people have spoken and I believe they want the Seanad to be reformed. However, that is work for another day rather than today. The referendum result is only four days old and the best course of action is to allow the Government sufficient time to reflect on the outcome. We have several reports on Seanad reform and two Bills on that issue have passed Second Stage in the House, to which the Government must fully respond. I hope we will have that response sooner rather than later. However, we must remember that the main focus of the Government is on jobs and the economic recovery, and it is my personal belief that our time and energy are best spent focusing on those issues while also dealing with the matter of Seanad reform.