Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the proposal of my colleague, Senator Mark Daly, to amend the Order of Business to bring the Minister, Deputy Creed, in on Tuesday. I also wish to be associated with all the glowing comments to our colleague Senator Norris. As a first-time Senator who has only been in the House for a mere 18 months, I do not have much experience of serving with Senator Norris. However, my one abiding memory of the good service that the Senator gave to so many people is when he was diagnosed with ill-health. His public acknowledgement of his illness and portrayal of good humour, as well as how he handled the whole situation outside of politics, gave a lift to so many other people who were in similar circumstances and perhaps suffering alone. That will always be one of the greatest services Senator Norris has given to the ordinary people of Ireland who at the time were in that awkward and sickening situation. Thankfully he and, it is to be hoped, many of them came through it. It has been a pleasure to serve with him for my short period here. Hopefully, someday I might make that milestone and Senator Norris may still even be here.

On a more serious note, I wish to concur with much of what Senator O'Reilly has said. I reiterate that we are in a two-week period in which we will face one of the biggest decisions that will influence the future of this country. I am taken aback by media and political commentary from the United Kingdom over the past 24 to 48 hours in particular. If it was not so serious it would have been funny last night, where three or four people were picked on television, probably from 100 who were interviewed, to draw a line on the map of Ireland to show where the North was. We saw where those lines were drawn. That was a British media spin in conjunction with the British Government and it is a full-on drive by the English to portray Ireland as not counting and that ordinary English people do not even know where the Border is. They are adopting a divide and conquer approach. We need to take the same stance. I am not asking for any Minister who has anything to do with Brexit to come in here for the next two weeks because they need to be where they need to be. We need to make our stance, dig in and put on the green jersey for the next two weeks. There is no point in having a debate like Members did yesterday on losing a banking institute on the toss of a coin. Crying over spilled milk will do no good. We need our media to come out fighting and take the same attitude. We can get headlines in newspapers in America over trivial things. The world's media need to see that Ireland is important. The genuine people of England, when there is no spin involved and when it is not being orchestrated and stage managed, do know where the Border is and do know where Ireland is. I note DUP politicians came out with a similar line this morning with a portrayal that all that is wrong with us is that we have a chip on our shoulder because of what has gone before in history. One and all here in Ireland, political, media and the man in the street, need to put on the green jersey for the next two weeks and we do not need to have any regrets when the summit is over on 14 December.