Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in pointing out that despite the required maintenance work on the Seanad Chamber having been on the agenda for eight years, a great deal of uncertainty remains. I do not mind where we go, but what is happening at the moment is an absolute farce, with the possibility of huge disruption to the activities of the National Museum. So far, nothing is happening. I appreciate that a lot of work is going on behind the scenes, but we must now call a halt to all of this uncertainty. It might be time to bring the Parliament to the people, as colleagues have suggested, by having sittings of the Seanad around the country. The current situation has gone on too long, with the proposals expected to cost, I understand, nearly €1.5 million. Officials have put a great deal of work into the relocation but anybody looking in from the outside would surely conclude we are incapable of making a decision for ourselves. There are a lot of venues around the country, private and public, including hotels and so on, which might accommodate us. We cannot go on as we are.

Of course, this is not about accommodating Senators but about ensuring Parliament has a place to meet and legislate. If an agreement cannot be reached on relocation, despite the engagement by so many Departments, it may well be the case that we are looking at an interdepartmental turf war. Somebody will be inconvenienced and somebody will be seeking more money. It is us Senators, however, who will be held to account for the delay. The word must go out from this Chamber that we do not care where we are put, even if it is a tent in St. Stephen's Green, but a decision must be made in the next two or three months. People are having a laugh at the way we cannot come to an agreement. It is not Senators or the Ceann Comhairle who are at fault here; the problem has arisen because the different Departments cannot come to an agreement. We should bring in the private sector to secure a venue for us sooner rather than later and likely for better value and at less inconvenience to all.