Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----but one could be a proper politician if one could give one's opinion in a situation where there was no need for the Whip. We are here to represent the public and interpret what it wants.

I do not agree that the people voted for reform of the Seanad. I never heard them say that. They voted to keep the Seanad, not to leave power in the hands of one Chamber. They were afraid of the Lower House being too powerful. Saying they voted for reform would not stand up in a court of law. I agree with Senator Aideen Hayden. I, too, would like more disparate groups and the more vulnerable in society to be represented here.

Senator Katherine Zappone is being derogatory about us, but I assure her that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have very difficult Seanad elections. When I first stood for election, there were no Sat Navs, TomToms and the like and we had to find and travel on boreens.

The act is very physically demanding in every way. Sinn Féin people in this House are lifted in here by their party.