Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that overnight that the four statues at the Shelbourne Hotel reappeared a few months after they were first mentioned in this House. There are two substantial matters I want to raise. The first is the statement in the newspapers today that the question of revised legislation on judicial appointments is to go before the Cabinet and that a new scheme for a judicial appointments commission Bill is to be considered by it. I welcome the fact that there is willingness to change from the previous model, insisted upon by former Minister, Shane Ross. I ask the Leader to ensure that, on a matter of such importance, the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure is deployed. The proposed legislation should go to the justice committee so it can examine all its implications. It is funny that we in this House can get legislation tendered by Ministers without any pre-legislative scrutiny at all whereas if legislation is going through the Dáil Chamber, pre-legislative scrutiny must be sought under Standing Orders. Who are we to complain about it?

The second point I want to mention concerns vaccination. If and when the vaccine becomes available in this country, which, according to ministerial statements, looks like it will be in the early part of next year, possibly as early as January, it will be very important that the elected representatives of the people give a lead in the matter. I am not suggesting that everybody must receive the vaccine as a matter of absolute obligation, because it cannot be compulsory, but it occurs to me that elected representatives should be willing to give an example and a lead to the rest of the community. It would be unfortunate if anti-vaccination propaganda took root and if a view that the scheme was being imposed on the people by the State or politicians gathered any degree of support. Some cynics will say that if we give an example and opt to be vaccinated earlier, we will be jumping the queue in some respect, but we either give an example or we do not; there is no point in giving an example at the end of the queue. It would greatly assist with the proper running of Leinster House if not merely the elected representatives but also all the staff were given an opportunity to be vaccinated.