Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach campaigned, as did I, for the retention of the Seanad. He will remember that the message in that campaign was "Open it; don't close it." While we have had discussion of the 1979 referendum, we have two referendums that need to be vindicated. It is vital that the 1979 referendum on the expansion of the university franchise be implemented. However, it is not acceptable that the 2013 referendum, which was won on a promise of reform, would then go in the queue and wait a further 40 years for those changes to come into place. We need comprehensive Seanad reform, the kind of reform proposed in the legislation developed by all parties in the previous Oireachtas in the Seanad Bill, which will come back into these Houses in January.

It is crucial that we keep in good faith with the public, many of whom do not have a vote in Seanad elections but who voted to retain the Seanad, by ensuring that they get a say in the very important work that we do in the Seanad. Regarding the content of the Seanad work, the proposals for EU scrutiny have merit and that scrutiny needs to be delivered. Any gap in our democracy is a gap in decision-making that best serves the public.

I ask the Taoiseach to deliver Seanad reform, which we know is not complicated. It does not need to go back to the drawing board as it is already on the table with the Seanad Bill. He should also support other aspects of democracy. He should stand against a creeping erosion of the rights of citizens in planning issues because that is part of democracy. He should stand against the erosion of local authority powers and the voice of councils in offering visions and ideas for what should happen in their local areas. This is part of the democracy piece and the electoral commission will be looking at these issues. However, the Taoiseach needs to show the leadership to make this happen.

Regarding the shared island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach, investment is very positive, but we also need vision. What role does the Taoiseach envisage the unit playing in any future constitutional change, for example? What role can it play in protecting the human rights pillar, which is fundamental to the Good Friday Agreement?

Regarding our shared planet, the Taoiseach should be playing a key role in his Department in stewarding and leading on the sustainable development goals because this is the vision for a collective good - for a society and an environment which take pre-eminence and an economy which serves that, rather than having the economy rule over all, with society and the environment having to fit into that.

We need not just Covid vaccine sharing, but a Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, TRIPS, waiver.