Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope he has changed the outer hen because they are a good collector's item and I will buy one fro, the Senator.

I appeal to those in the body politic to trust each other. We are not gombeens who come here on a journey. We are educated, intelligent individuals who are elected by the people to serve, debate and legislate. Let us not talk each other down about what we do day in, day out. We can disagree on the road to take in arriving at legislation or the substantive legislation, but that is our job and what we are elected to do. The gnáth-dhaoine pick up the peann luaidh every five years or whenever we put an issue to them in a referendum. I appeal to them to read the evidence given to the committee before they make a decision on whether to repeal. As a democrat, I will always accept the will of the people. I lost my seat, but I did not go on a sulk and blame anyone. I took it on the chin and accepted the will of the people. Members should trust each other in an informed way.

I thank the departmental officials for their work on this issue. They do not get credit at times, but I know from working with them in the past that they have come to this job with dedication and sincere intent. The debate must be informed, not about opinion. We tend to go off on tangents in referendum campaigns. We should not do so in this campaign because the substantive question is dealt with in this and the next section. It is whether we should allow the citizens of a republic to make up their minds and say "Yea" or "Nay".