Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----or did we just get across the line? We need to ask ourselves that question. The people decided and they are sacrosanct. It does not take, however, from the integrity of the Taoiseach in the way he handled defeat, nor does it take from the reason he put the question to the people in the first place, which is what he said he would do.

Among all the other reforms proposed, I suggest one. With the Taoiseach's nominees, Senators Fiach MacConghail, Mary Ann O'Brien, Katherine Zappone, Jillian van Turnhout, Eamonn Coghlann and Martin McAleese, whom I congratulate, I went into a room and imagined, articulated and developed the idea of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee which, thanks to the Leader, was brought to the House and delivered on. As one of the Taoiseach's nominees, I want it to be continued. I also want to take up the Taoiseach's idea of a task force on Seanad reform of outside vested interests to fuel our reforms.