Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Committee on Procedure and Privileges has discussed this and I do not disagree with the broad thrust of what Senator Higgins has expressed. It is a very bad precedent because it changes the process for committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas. I do not understand why the Dáil Business Committee is pursuing this. The Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges agreed the motion because we want to have Seanad representation on the committee. I have taken the view as Leader that to forgo Seanad representation is too much to ask the House. The Dáil Business Committee proceeded without Members of this House in the Committee on the Future of Healthcare and in the establishment of a housing committee. I did not want to be party to that. It is with reluctance that I move the motion because I agree with what Senator Higgins is trying to achieve. As the Senator is aware, I have facilitated a number of meetings to try to bridge that gap unfortunately we could not get peace in the matter.