Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with my colleagues that Mr. Shane Conneely deserves great praise for his work on the Bill. It is not often the recognition deservedly due to officials is acknowledged in the House. It is fitting and appropriate that we do so. The Bill shows the strength of independent voices such as those of Senators John Crown and Jillian van Turnhout and those who have a particular skill, whether in dealing with cancer or children's rights.

That is the role of the Seanad. I thank the Minister and his officials. This is a health issue, but given that this is Easter week it would be appropriate to quote the Bible. There is a line quoted in the opening credits of the film "Schindler’s List": "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire." The Minister’s allowing this Bill come through this House protects children from parents or guardians who would, through pure ignorance, smoke in a car with them. The most telling statistic we have heard is that if a child is in a car for an hour with a smoker he or she inhales an amount of smoke equivalent to what a firefighter will inhale in eight hours at work. As Senator Crown said, we do not want prosecutions. The Bill does not aim to punish people but to educate them and point out the stark reality that by smoking in a car a person subjects a child to enormous health risks, immediately and long into the future.

This Bill was published on 3 May 2012. That is a long time ago. The processes within these Houses have failed the people for a long time. They failed the people in respect of the cause of the economic crisis, because the way we make legislation and bring about change is far too slow and in some cases it does not happen at all. Senator Burke pointed out some of the great Bills he and others have introduced which just stop because legislators do not legislate. The bureaucracy decides what goes forward, and there is too much that needs to be done and too few people at drafting level allowed to do it. We are not allowed to do it. The Shane Kenneallys of this world are not allowed to do it either, generally. This is unique. It should not be unique. It should be an everyday occurrence that non-contentious legislation such as this, which everyone agrees is needed, is passed. It does not happen because legislators are not allowed to push it forward. It gets jammed in the system. I told the Taoiseach last night that the fact that only four Bills have been passed in four months is not the revolution in democracy required to ensure this society works better for all its citizens.