Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This part of the proceedings in the Seanad is the Order of Business. Senators are at a disadvantage if we come into the House and we do not have a copy of the Order of Business in front of us. I respect the Leader and her office. It is all very well for her to come in here and tell us what she has decided. We are challenged in both Houses in the current political landscape, but particularly in this House of which I am a Member, because we are up against a vast Government block of people. That is the Leader's right and that is democracy. A courageous and ambitious programme for Government has been negotiated and I wish the Government well. However, we on this side of the House are also challenged and we have to challenge. We have to call out and support good government and when it is bad we have to say so. We too have busy schedules and work to do. We also hope to participate, if we are given the chance, in the joint committees and in other areas. Let us not stymie democracy. Let us have new government. The slogan of the previous Government was that it would be a new Government. Let us get it right here. Let us respect one another and show that respect for each other outside this Chamber. Will the Leader agree to provide, before 9 a.m. on the day of all Seanad sittings, a schedule that she proposes to bring to the House in order that we can discuss it among ourselves? That would allow us to amend the schedule if we so wished, which is important. I am happy to discuss with the Leader outside the Chamber how we can continue to work well together.

Yesterday, the cervical cancer campaigner, Ruth Morrissey, was laid to rest, having died on Sunday. She was one of many courageous women. I also think of people like Emma Mhic Mhathúna and Irene Teap. How sad that none of them reached their 40th birthday. Why are women being dragged through the courts? The then Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, gave an undertaking in the Dáil that the court cases would cease and these women would not be dragged through the courts. These courageous, brave and determined women were not going to be set aside. I read the transcripts of statements made in the Dáil at the time by Opposition spokespersons and the then Taoiseach who said that would not happen and that there would be a tribunal of inquiry, as recommended by Mr. Justice Charles Meenan. That inquiry has still not been established. If one read any of the newspapers in the last few days, one’s heart would go out to these brave, courageous women. Let us support them. I ask the Leader to have the relevant Minister come to the House next week to make a statement on how the Government will stand by its promises with regard to CervicalCheck.