Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate it. The Taoiseach is very welcome to the Seanad. It is good to hear him in this House. This is the Taoiseach's first official visit to the House since becoming Taoiseach. Hopefully, a visit by the Taoiseach to the Seanad will not be simply an annual affair. It should be something more. I hope, in the Taoiseach's case, this will be the first of very many.

I welcome what the Taoiseach said about reforms, particularly pre-legislative scrutiny, the Regulation of Lobbying Act, State boards and so on. I also welcome what he said about a Seanad committee to develop specific proposals. I think I detected that the Taoiseach is not wedded to the words of the report of Dr. Maurice Manning and Mr. Joe O'Toole.