Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Darragh O'Brien made some very interesting points this morning on the proposed banking inquiry, followed by Senators Whelan, Barrett and MacSharry who also made interesting points, particularly on the possible exclusion of the Seanad. It is important to remind the House that my opposite number in the Dáil, the Government Chief Whip, Deputy Paul Kehoe, said this morning on "Morning Ireland" that this is not a Government inquiry, it is an Oireachtas all-party inquiry. He also said that some proposed terms of reference have been shown to all parties. He stated that the new Standing Orders will come before the Dáil by 4 February and the Seanad by 13 February. Therefore I assume we will have a say in the matter. More importantly, I appreciate very much what Senator Sean D. Barrett said, that if we are to find people who have no public bias whatsoever, it will not be possible to find any Deputy or Senator------