Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like my Fine Gael colleagues, I support the Bill, certainly in principle. As a newly-elected Senator, I am trying to learn the ropes with regard to the functioning of the Seanad. Having been elected on the administrative panel, an area I was very interested in, and which was one of my drivers to get involved in politics, was health care reform, particularly in the area of rehabilitation. I did not intend to say this but I take issue with the comments made by Senator Craughwell earlier about Senators being elected to a crèche or a nursing home. I am not one of those. I take my job very seriously. I was elected on the administrative panel and I intend to work very hard on a wide number of issues.