Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Ivana Bacik and all those involved in bringing forward the motion on the situation in Syria. It is extremely important that we speak with one voice and send a clear message on this matter, given the significant number of innocent people, especially children, being killed.

In talking about the need to speak with one voice I wish to refer again – I am sorry for doing so – the ten-year health strategy. Senator Mark Daly raised the matter yesterday. My understanding is that Fine Gael was to bring forward a motion this week in the Dáil to allow Senators to become full members of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare, but I believe both Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin indicated that they would vote against the motion. I am extremely concerned about this as it is very important to have agreement on a ten-year health strategy. It indicates to me that the leader of Fianna Fáil, Deputy Micheál Martin, and the leader of Sinn Féin, Deputy Gerry Adams, have no confidence in the Senators of the respective parties represented in this House and they consider they have nothing to contribute to the strategy. That is a terrible indictment of this House and it is regrettable that this is the attitude of the leadership of these parties to Senators who have a contribution to make to the strategy, yet they are being excluded from involvement in the committee that is devising it. Is this new politics? Is it about excluding 60 Members of the Oireachtas from the process of dealing with a major policy issue which affects every man, woman and child in the country? Is it about making sure Senators are not included in a major strategic planning process? It is appalling that the leaders of the two main Opposition parties are objecting to Senators being included in the committee. The Leader should write to them to ask them to explain why they have adopted this policy towards Members of this House. That is not the new politics I want to see and it is not the new politics Senators want to see. I take extreme exception to the fact that Senators are being excluded from the process.