Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

At the outset, I wish to put on record my gratitude to members of the Royal British Legion in Ballymoney and Coolrain for their support of the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen on this island when they raised more than £1,000 in a walk across the Giant's Causeway.

Speaking of Defence Forces matters, I am aware that post-1994 contractees are still not aware of their future fate, whether they will be allowed to serve past the age of 50 years. They were promised this would come through at the end of May - it has not yet come through. Furthermore, there was outrage from former colleagues in the Defence Forces at the lack of participation at the recent Oireachtas defence committee meeting where we heard from the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO. As far as I can recall, there were only two political parties and two Independents represented at that meeting which is simply not good enough. It sends out a poor message.

The Department of Education has done away with the abatement of pensions for a period to attract retired teachers into the system. However, a former member of the Defence Forces who is a teacher will not be able to avail of the waiver on abatement. I would love if the Deputy Leader could find out what is so different about former members of the Defence Forces that they are not allowed to benefit from this while former teachers are allowed. It is an outrage and shows, once again, a disregard for members of the Defence Forces.

I oppose the Order of Business today. I am sick and tired of Bills being run through this House as if they do not matter. The people of Ireland voted to retain this House and many of us here are dedicated in doing the job that this House is supposed to do. Some Senators, I regret to say, are here in a place or state of purgatory waiting their chance to get a Dáil seat. This House has a function under the Constitution. Bills are going through this House with all Stages taken in a single day and they are guillotined regularly. I am seven years in this House and I think this year is the worst I have ever seen. I realise we are in the middle of a national emergency, but we do not have to guillotine Bills at the current rate. We do not have to run Bills through this House in one day. We are either serious about the Seanad or the Government should go back to the people of Ireland and tell them that it did not listen to what they said when the referendum passed and that it has no intention of reforming this House. Does it want to keep the Seanad the way it is or does it want to finally close it down? It is heart breaking to see the way this House is being abused by this Government, and it must stop this.