Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to join with previous Senators who have spoken on the Commencement matters. It is important that there are mechanisms for us as Senators to bring topical issues to the House. How and ever, I cannot help but think that these are Government Ministers or delegates and representatives of Government who come and take these Commencements and it is their right to delegate that function. We accept that and that is the correct manner. The delivery of the Commencement is not an issue; that is a matter for the Ministers and we must respect that.

The issue of the content of the delivery is another one. I am an Independent, I do not sit in any parliamentary party and I am not going up and down on a Wednesday with a platform to articulate views and issues of concern about the parliamentary business of these Houses. Many of the Senators on the other side of the Chamber are and I ask that this opportunity would be explored if it has not already been so. We must remember that there are Government Whips in this House and that there are leaders of particular groups. The Government Senators have many opportunities to raise those concerns but that is not to take away from the legitimacy of those concerns because I share them with Senators. That issue is important for the democratic process in this House, particularly as we do not, as Senator Buttimer said, have parliamentary questions. I suggest that through the Leader we would convene a meeting next week of the leaders and whips of all the groups in this House and perhaps other people who are relevant to all of this so we can have a discussion on it. We need to progress it and address the anomalies and shortcomings of the system.

I would like to call for a debate on the 10,000 children who the HSE confirmed today are on the children's mental health treatment waiting list. What an indictment that is of any Administration. RTÉ has a breaking story that 10,000 children are waiting for mental health treatment and we should have a debate in this House about that matter.