Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join in the words of congratulation to former Senator Deirdre Clune on her election to the European Parliament.

I also welcome the imminent appointment of Mr. Kevin O'Malley as the US ambassador to Ireland. It is regrettable that it took 18 months for this appointment to be made, given the relationship between this island and the United States.

I congratulate Senator Barrett and Senator MacSharry on their appointment to the banking inquiry. They will be excellent representatives of this House and that inquiry is of great importance in addressing the crisis in the Irish banking sector. I join my colleagues in hoping the Government will accept the democratic decision of the Committee of Selection to appoint Senators MacSharry and Barrett and I commend the Leader of the House in ensuring this House will have two representatives on the inquiry.

I hope there is not a recurrence of what happened previously when some Government Senators did not toe the line on the so-called Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill. I do not blame the Leader of the House personally, but on that occasion he was instructed by the Government to suspend Standing Order 89, remove committee members and replace them with others without any input by the democratically elected Committee of Selection. The Government parties allowed this to happen. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I am putting the Leader of the House on notice that if he attempts to do so again we will not co-operate in the running of this House. I am sad that I had to say this but I feel it is only fair to give warning that our party will not co-operate with the smooth running of business in this House. This is not for party political reasons, it is for democratic reasons and in the interests of democracy.

I again commend both Senator MacSharry and Senator Barrett and I second Senator Bradford's proposed amendment to the Order of Business.