Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I begin by expressing my condolences to Bridget Doody on my behalf and on behalf of my Fine Gael colleagues.

I wish to raise two matters. On the day that I signed the roll for the Seanad, the Clerk of the Seanad gave me a copy of Bunreacht na hÉireann. Since then, I have been given a copy of the Standing Orders. That is to deal with the constitutional role of the Seanad and the role in our Standing Orders of Commencement matters. There has been a very disturbing trend over recent months that the Minister who comes in to respond to Commencement matters, which are brought by Members of this House representing the interests of people of this country, is not the line Minister who should be responding.

This morning as I sat in the Chair, four Commencement matters were brought forward. The Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, did an exceptional job even though he is not in the relevant Department for any of the four Commencement matters. That is an unacceptable position. We need engagement - that is the whole point of having Commencement matters. Some of the statements the Minister of State was given to read out this morning could be pulled from a website. It was a disgrace. Disgraceful contempt is shown to this House and its Members.