Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Arnold, who has such a distinguished record in agriculture, public service, research and media in The Irish Times. His humanitarian record is celebrated in the Ellis Island medal for humanitarian activities. Mr. Horace Plunkett was the person I had in mind as a former Member of the House. Mr. Arnold comes here in his tradition. I was interested in 66 members of the public. When Senator Quinn and I went to see the Taoiseach at his request, we asked how someone from Belmullet could get to the convention and suggested it would be all people from Dublin 4 and Dublin 6. That is why we suggested the use of the electoral register. Part of the response was that one person lived up the mountain, had not been for years and would not go to a meeting on the constitution in Malahide. How far beyond 66 people did the convention have to go to get 66 members? We hoped the kind of excellent results our colleagues reported would happen.

Some of the Northern Ireland parties participated. Before Mr. Arnold finishes his term as chairman, I suggest he holds a meeting in Enniskillen or Belfast. I am 90% of the way through Mr. Mark Carruthers book on Ulster identity which includes a large number of interviews. No one in Northern Ireland regards themselves as British; they regard themselves as Irish or Northern Irish, and that includes people of a strong Unionist background.

In the Trinity College Dublin constituency, in particular, there are people with Irish passports who support the Irish rugby team and are very loyal to the college. A new definition of Irishness is needed by people in Northern Ireland. NI21 represents such ideas. The Alliance Party appeared to do some work in that regard, too. I suggest a Constitution which reflects this.

A third point relates to economic, social and cultural rights. I will speak briefly about the economic element. Since 2008, in particular, this country has needed protection for citizens' property rights. We have been bankrupted by banks, insurance companies, credit unions, accountants and the water industry and because of medical negligence. Do we need a part in the Constitution to insure society and protect it from rapacious conduct such as this which has brought us to bankruptcy? The Comptroller and Auditor General is an officer under the Constitution and I wonder if he should consider such issues. There should be economic rights to protect us from what happened in the past few years.

I see a new Northern Ireland evolving very rapidly. After the Seanad referendum, the leader of the Fianna Fáil Party asked me at Dublin Castle why County Donegal had voted "No". I believe a large number of people from the Unionist community got their friends in County Donegal to vote in that way. They value their participation under the Constitution and in the two university constituencies.

I thank Mr. Arnold.