Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would not like to get between three Kerry men and disagree with any of them. I am delighted the Minister, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, came in for the debate. I was criticised on the Order of Business this morning for making such statements on the Order of Business but I am happy I did so. We have had some very interesting comments from the Members who have contributed.

Senator Ivana Bacik stole my thunder totally in respect of Mr. Horan's paper and the historical facts in respect of the parliament. As has been stated, the first recorded sitting of the Irish parliament is a unique milestone in the history of national and international parliamentary democracy. It is only right that it is marked in some way and I am delighted that we are able to do so here today in the Seanad.

Today, 18 June 2014, marks the 750th anniversary of the first documented sitting of the administrative gathering calling itself "parliament" in Ireland, of which an original record on manuscript still remains accessible. The first meeting took place in Castledermot which was known at the time as Tristledermod, as has been stated, and this sitting predates the first sitting of De Montfort's bicameral parliament in England by seven months and two days. This pre-Union version of the Irish parliament continued to sit for about 500 years. The Houses of Parliament, Lords and Commons later met in the first purpose built parliament house in the world on College Green in Dublin, which was constructed between 1729 and 1739.

I read with interest the Minister's paper. As a Waterford man, I am proud to say that John Redmond represented Waterford for so many years and the Redmond family up to the 1950s. I am glad his memory is being commemorated in such a way. It is my belief that both parties after Sinn Féin, both anti-treaty and pro-treaty parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, attempted to write out the Irish Parliamentary Party from history. It is fitting that John Redmond and the Home Rule party, the Irish Parliamentary Party, should be commemorated. It saddens me when I go to Westminster and see a bust of John Redmond that we do not have such a bust of him in this Parliament.