Seanad Éireann debate -
Monday, 12 Dec 2022

Vol. 290 No. 12

Commemoration of the Centenary of the First Sitting of Seanad Éireann – 11 December 1922

An Cathaoirleach

Established in the midst of a bitter, tragic and divisive Civil War in which many families lost loved ones, the Seanad played a role in establishing and consolidating the democratic institutions of our State. It was under this shadow of war the Senators took their seats in this Chamber on 11 December 1922. Only four days earlier on 7 December serving Deputy, Seán Hales, was shot dead on his way to this building to oversee the election of Senators. On the following day four republican leaders, Rory O'Connor, Liam Mellows, Joe McKelvey and Richard Barrett, were executed in response. Five people dead in two days yet, just three days after that and despite very real personal danger, 60 Senators arrived here at Leinster House to take their seats in a demonstration of their commitment to the democratic process. Between November 1922 and February 1923, 37 Senators had their homes destroyed. They were intimidated and some were kidnapped but none resigned.

I invite you all to take a moment to consider what it might have been like for those people who arrived 100 years ago to that sitting. Those Senators arrived through the gates of Leinster House just as you did this morning. Just as you did, they came through the doors, walked up the stairs to this Chamber, took their seats and took the first steps on a journey without being able to see the full road ahead. The first Seanad was described as the most diverse bunch of politicians we ever had in our history. It had 20 Protestant Members, three Quakers and one lady of Jewish faith. Its membership included: Michael Duffy, a road worker from County Meath; Eileen Costello, a civil rights campaigner; Bryan Mahon, the commander-in-chief of the British forces in Ireland between 1916 and 1918; Jennie Wyse Power, a president of Cumann na mBan; Thomas Henry Grattan Esmonde, the great grandson of Henry Grattan of Grattan's parliament; and of course, famously, W.B. Yeats.

The creators of the Seanad ensured it was diverse and a platform for the unionist and minority communities who found themselves in the new State. Over time, it evolved to give different minorities and communities a place and platform to ensure their views and calls for change were heard - change society was not always willing or ready to hear. They wished to have their voices heard in that Chamber. Those voices include a singular voice, that of our colleague, the father of the House and the longest continuing serving Senator in the history of the State. Senator Norris embodies the Seanad as a place where minority voices can make major change. We thank him for his service.

Throughout this centenary year, we have had an opportunity to shine a light on the role of women in the Seanad, mná an tSeanaid, and draw attention to the lives and works of inspirational women Senators who have championed minority issues since the first sitting in 1922. Women such as Mary Robinson and others have used their seats in the Seanad to demonstrate the need for women to have an equal voice in Irish politics and society. Only 122 women have served in the Seanad over the past 100 years, of whom 23 are in the current Seanad.

As we celebrate this centenary and as we glance back, we are looking forward to the role the Seanad will play in the next 100 years in our democratic process. Reform of the Seanad has been debated since its very establishment. We have had 14 reports on Seanad reform. The need for renewal and reform is recognised by Seanad Éireann and steps have been taken in the current Twenty-sixth Seanad to make progress on reform. The referendum nearly a decade ago on the future of the Upper House shows that while people value the Seanad, there is a strong public desire for change.

The key change would be to allow more people to vote in Seanad elections. The referendum on the seventh amendment to the Constitution which would allow for this was supported by the people four decades ago and, to the best of my knowledge, it is the only referendum passed by the people that has yet to be legislated for. We currently have two Bills before the Seanad to give effect to that referendum result. They would expand the right to vote to, potentially, millions of our citizens. In that endeavour, however, we must ensure the Seanad always remains a place where Senators who represent minority communities and points of view can be elected and serve as a voice for minorities on this island.

With the support of all parties and group leaders and the Members of the Seanad, we have implemented the relevant recommendations in the Seanad reform reports that were within the power of the House to action. One of the constant themes relating to Seanad renewal and reform has concerned the scrutiny of European legislation. Until now, Departments added to EU legislation which was then signed into Irish law by Ministers, without Senators, Deputies or parliamentary committees seeing it and bypassing democratic scrutiny. I thank the Taoiseach for his assistance and for working with all Senators to get a Cabinet decision to secure the right for the Seanad to take a lead role in ensuring those EU laws are enacted on time, thus avoiding millions of euro in fines, and scrutinised by the Oireachtas before they are signed into Irish law by Ministers.

Due to its unique structure, Seanad Éireann has also been able to include the voices of those from Northern Ireland, from both traditions, which would not normally be heard in our Parliament. The presence of Northern voices from the nationalist and unionist perspectives has been critical in ensuring inclusive debate, especially during the Troubles and since the Good Friday Agreement. Northern voices such as those of Lord Glenavy, the first Cathaoirleach, and in later years, Gordon Wilson, Seamus Mallon, Bríd Rodgers, Ian Marshall and Martin McAleese have provided insights that have not always been present in the Dáil. As the debate around the relationship between Northern Ireland, Ireland and the UK continues to evolve, the role of the Seanad will continue to grow in importance.

As we leave through the doors of this Chamber today, the same doors those 60 Senators walked through 100 years ago, into an uncertain tomorrow we remember them, cuimhnímid orthu, and all the generations before them for the sacrifices they made to secure the independence we now enjoy. It is important we take this time to reflect over the past 100 years and look forward with hope, confidence and optimism to the next 100 years for all the people on this island.

It is now my privilege to invite the Taoiseach to address us. In the course of his service as a public representative in public life he has, by any measure, made major changes in all the offices he has held. Since he was elected to Cork City Council in 1985, to Dáil Éireann in 1989 and as the first citizen and Lord Mayor of Cork from 1992-93, his public service has been about change. Time does not allow me to outline all the changes he has made in all the offices he has held. He has, as Taoiseach, led us through the most unprecedented challenges of modern times; the Covid pandemic, Brexit and the consequences of the invasion of Ukraine. He has represented Ireland on the world stage and he honours us today with his presence.

The Taoiseach

A Chathaoirligh agus a hiar-Chathaoirligh, a Sheanadóirí agus a hiar-Sheanadóirí agus a dhaoine uaisle go léir, is pribhléid mhór domsa a bheith anseo libh inniu chun aitheantas a thabhairt do chomóradh 100 bliain den chéad chruinniú a bhí ag Seanad Éireann. Le deich mbliana anuas, eagraíodh clár éagsúil leathan ag comóradh ócáidí agus pearsantachtaí iontacha agus tábhachtacha ag tréimhse lárnach chinniúnach inár stair. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach ag an am céanna an deis a thapú chun comóradh a dhéanamh ar ár n-institiúidí daonlathacha agus smaoineamh go cruinn ar an ról agus tionchar dearfach a bhí agus atá acu fós ar rath agus dul chun cinn ár dtíre. Táimid anseo in onóir ár Seanadóirí a thug seirbhís dhílis don tír seo ó bunaíodh an Seanad agus machnamh ar an daonlathas a sheas an fód agus a tháinig slán in ainneoin na ndúshlán uile a cuireadh roimhe agus atá beo beathach fós. Is léir go bhfuil borradh faoin daonlathas in Éirinn suas go dtí an lá atá inniu ann.

The centenary of a legislative Chamber of a free Republic is a moment to celebrate, to remember, and to reflect on how far our country has come. I thank Dr. John Bowman for his precise and succinct summary of those 100 years. I say as a plug that if you are up early on a Sunday morning, he is well worth listening to at 8.30 a.m. as he looks back through the RTÉ archives.

The establishment of Seanad Éireann was deeply overshadowed by the events of the days and weeks which preceded it. The elections and appointments to the First Seanad were subject to little debate. When one reads the record of the time, the overwhelming consideration was to ensure that there would be a place in public affairs for those who could never be expected to win in the polarised and intense elections to the Dáil. It was to be a place which would remind us of the promise of the Proclamation that different traditions would make up the nation to be served by a new, free and democratic State. Because of the ongoing Civil War and a focus on other provisions, there was very little clarity about how the new Chamber would work, what its distinct role would be, or how it would operate in relation to Dáil Éireann. However, there were very high aspirations for the quality of debate and the calibre of Members.

The new Constitution came into force five days before the new Seanad convened. Article 30 laid out the requirements for membership. This membership would be confined to those aged 35 or over, "who shall be proposed on the grounds that they have done honour to the Nation by reason of useful public service or that, because of special qualifications or attainments, they represent important aspects of the Nation's life". This was a highly unusual mix because it combined the idea of membership as a recognition of achievement with that of broadening representation. Even with its remarkable group of Members, it was not representative, nor indeed was it intended to be. It was first and foremost a membership defined by finding a place in the new State for those who had not supported its creation and by making a statement about the place of minorities.

In Europe, that was a time when new states were emerging from the ashes of a world war and civil conflict. In every case of a state which emerged from the treaties which followed the First World War, statements were made about respecting minorities and those who had been loyal to the departed power. This was, in fact, a condition set by President Wilson before the peace talks began, yet almost none of those guarantees were honoured in the following years. The Parliament established here was different and the First Seanad was a very important demonstration of this.

The Government appointments and Dáil vote in December 1922 saw many great figures returned to the Seanad. They reflected most of the cultural, economic, social and political movements which had made Irish life so dynamic and revolutionary in the previous half century, and these included: Douglas Hyde, as has been referenced, a renowned scholar and founder of the Gaelic League, which had inspired so many of our great leaders, who was later to become the first President of Ireland; Sir Horace Plunkett, who had looked at the destruction of the Famine years and pioneered agricultural co-operatives as a new future for rural Ireland; George Sigerson, scientist and poet, who took a prominent part in the Irish literary revival; Jennie Wyse Power, who had been a leading Parnellite activist, led the suffragist movement, was the first president of Cumann na mBan and had hosted the signing of the 1916 Proclamation in her shop; and, of course, by far the most prominent of the new Members, W.B. Yeats, whose remarkable poetry and international profile saw him awarded the Nobel Prize in literature 11 months after becoming a Senator.

The Seanad's early years revealed an ongoing tension with both the Dáil and the Government, often reflecting very different motivations. It was in the Seanad that the most eloquent and important work was done to try to protect pluralism in the new State. It was in the Seanad that the new Government faced serious opposition to moves which infringed the rule of law. In those now distant early years of the new State, it was in the Seanad that we were reminded of the higher ideals not just of our revolution but also of the wider European history of which Ireland had always been part.

After 1932, the conflict with the Dáil and Government focused on the efforts of the new Government of Eamon de Valera to explicitly override elements of the Anglo-Irish settlement, with the removal of the oath being the biggest dispute. This would ultimately lead to the abolition of the then Seanad in 1936 and a review of how it might be reconstituted in the new Constitution, then being drafted. A review committee chaired by the then Chief Justice reported its belief that a second Chamber had an important role to play in Irish democracy and that it was possible to move beyond the conflicts of previous years. It is there that one finds most of the elements which define Seanad Éireann. The review committee believed the Seanad could be a place which brought reflection into the Oireachtas, allowing deeper scrutiny of legislation, requiring fuller review of policies and serving as a place which could be more restrained and reflective than the bigger and more powerful Chamber. The method of electing Members would, it believed, bring forward "a panel [of] persons who had attained positions of responsibility or distinction ... to afford a wide choice of persons certainly qualified by their ability, character, knowledge and experience".

The need for reform and to be responsive to different challenges is something we have all agreed, but today it is important that we acknowledge the remarkable success of Seanad Éireann in fulfilling the objectives set for it and the calibre of both its membership and its impact. The Seanad has played a particular role in asserting the rights of Irish women and as a promoter of women's representation. In 1922, the position of women in Irish politics received many setbacks. When Constance Markievicz, who would chair the founding meeting of my party, resigned from Cabinet, it would be another 57 years before a woman would again serve as a Minister. Representation of women in the Dáil had fallen from six to two, and there were no women present for more than a year as the remaining female Deputies had refused to take their seats. Yet there were four remarkable women in the First Seanad and they began a tradition of the Seanad being outspoken on issues so often ignored in the Dáil and wider public life. Women's voices have always found a greater hearing in the Seanad. It was nearly 40 years ago that Senators elected Tras Honan as Cathaoirleach - at that time one of the only female heads of a parliamentary chamber anywhere in Europe. Of course, Mary Robinson, a legislative reformer in the Seanad, later became the first woman elected as President of Ireland. I was very pleased two years ago as Taoiseach to make appointments to the Seanad so that, after half a century of campaigning, the Seanad became the first Chamber to have women representing over 40% of its Members. Now that this progress has been achieved, we must ensure it is maintained. In addition in this context, President Higgins has always spoken positively of his time in the Seanad and its role in Irish life.

On this day when we mark the importance of the Seanad to our country, we must also take a moment to remember Senator Billy Fox, who was the only Member of the Oireachtas killed during the illegitimate campaign waged in the face of the opposition of the overwhelming majority of the Irish people. Billy Fox was a highly respected farmer and an active member of the synod of the Church of Ireland. In Leinster House, he was known as a person who was close to the Border community he served and a passionate believer in the role of Protestants in our national life. He was 35 when he was murdered in a purely sectarian attack. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

During my time serving in government, I have always viewed the Seanad as a place where it is possible to have a more reasoned and respectful debate. It is very rare for the Seanad to witness the sort of angry and populist debate which can all too often be seen elsewhere.

Its role in reviewing legislation has been exceptional. Even in an era where pre-legislative scrutiny has been introduced and committees spend longer on legislation, the Seanad consistently provides essential input which has come from nowhere else. The Seanad’s importance to the legislative process is illustrated by the volume of legislation that is debated in this Chamber. Since June 2020, many of the almost 120 Bills published by the Government were commenced as Seanad Bills. In addition to debating and amending Government Bills, the Twenty-sixth Seanad has also produced and debated over 50 Private Members' Bills. When it comes to reviewing public policies in general, the Seanad also provides perspectives that are available nowhere else and it does so in an often passionate but always constructive manner. I want to pay tribute to the work that Senators have undertaken in the last decade in particular to expand the Seanad’s work.

In 2013, I was pleased to stand against the proposal for abolition and in favour of a strong second and reforming Chamber. However, as Senators will remember better than most, there was a large imbalance in the resources that were deployed in that campaign. The message was promoted that we would have a simpler and less expensive life if we got rid of the Seanad. The result of that referendum was a tremendous vindication of the Seanad and its work. The Seanad has continued to develop. One example of this is that in the coming weeks, as the Cathaoirleach has referenced, a new Seanad-only select committee for reviewing EU statutory instruments will be established. Developed by the Cathaoirleach and in particular by Senator McDowell, this committee will oversee scrutiny by sectoral committees and draft ministerial regulations proposed to transpose EU directives. I am sure the work of this committee will greatly strengthen the role of the Oireachtas in scrutinising European Union legislation.

The Seanad’s discussions about the future of our island are also very welcome. Achieving the unity of all of the people of our island remains the greatest challenge of our time. This is not something that can be achieved by delivering speeches or by making demands. It cannot be achieved by allowing every discussion to be framed solely by one big decision. It requires that we undertake the much harder work of each of us seeing what we can do to build understanding and connections. It requires that we challenge ourselves and genuinely reflect on the identities of all of the communities of our island, not just those we belong to. It requires a systematic programme of objective study, investment and engagement as a forum which endeavours to put reflection ahead of advocacy. I have no doubt that the Seanad can play a valuable role in this.

In reflecting on changes in recent years, I want to knowledge in particular the role played by Cathaoirligh in representing and leading the Seanad. In particular, I acknowledge Senators Paddy Burke and Denis O’Donovan, the two past Cathaoirligh who continue to serve in the Seanad, and Senator Mark Daly, the current Cathaoirleach. Each has made an important contribution to broadening the Seanad’s work and building its public standing.

Today is not a time to dwell on reform proposals because too often these are seen as suggesting that the Seanad does not serve us well. I have absolutely no doubt that Seanad Éireann has strengthened our politics and our country so let today be a focus on what it has achieved. Born at a time of Civil War, and with a turbulent first decade and a half, Seanad Éireann is today one of the oldest continuous legislative chambers in any democratic state. Where much of the world fell to the extremists of the right and left, we did not. We retained a vibrant parliamentary tradition which helped our country to rise and grow successfully from having been one of the poorest countries in Europe. We have shown remarkable resilience and the ability to progress and develop our social, economic and cultural life in ways that we have a right to be proud of.

Mar Sheanadóirí, is féidir libh bród a bhaint as a bheith ag leanúint ar aghaidh leis an oidhreacht uathúil a bhaineann leis an Seanad. Bainigí taitneamh as an gceiliúradh seo.

An Cathaoirleach

Go raibh maith agat, a Thaoisigh. We will now have contributions from the group leaders.

Senator Lisa Chambers

It is a great honour to address the Seanad as leader of the Fianna Fáil grouping in Seanad Éireann. Today is an historic day as we participate in a special sitting to mark the centenary of the first sitting of the Seanad. We do not often hear much about those first Members so it is welcome to have an opportunity to look back on those who first served in this House and to mark their contribution. There were some notable an interesting Members of the First Seanad including, as has been pointed out, W.B. Yeats, as well as four women who were elected or nominated to the First Seanad. They were: Alice Stopford Green, an Irish historian and nationalist; Jennie Wyse Power, a founding member of Sinn Féin who also served as the first president of Cumann na mBan; and Eileen Costello, a folk song collector and Irish language enthusiast who stood for Sinn Féin in the 1920 local elections and who became the first woman district councillor for Galway North. She, together with Jennie Wyse Power, succeeded in convincing the then Seanad to reject the Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill, which proposed to confine women to the lower grades of the Civil Service. Ultimately, they were successful in that, but the Bill did go on to pass. Nevertheless, it shows the important role that the Seanad played at that time in particular in what was a de facto opposition to the then Government. There was also Ellen Cuffe, Countess of Desart, who was a London-born Jewish woman known for her philanthropic work. She was also the first woman in Ireland to be given the freedom of any city in the world, an honour bestowed upon her by the corporation of Kilkenny in 1910. They were no ordinary women.

I also want to point out another interesting Member of 1922 Seanad, Senator Maurice George Moore from Moore Hall in County Mayo. Moore was a soldier and politician, and a Member of the Irish Seanad from its establishment in 1922. He went on to serve in Seanad Éireann in 1937 until his death. Interestingly, Moore Hall in County Mayo was burned to the ground by the anti-Treaty IRA because they believed it to be his house. It was actually his brother George’s house.

I want of course to acknowledge former President Mary Robinson, whose contribution to Irish politics and the advancement of women's rights is something of which I, as a fellow Mayo person, am extremely proud. From my own experience in both this Chamber and the Lower House I can say that this Chamber is less partisan. This is due to the diversity of Members which lends itself to a different style of debate, often with more time to consider in depth the legislation we are scrutinising. This process of checks and balances between both Houses makes for a better legislative process in the Oireachtas. Many significant amendments to key Bills are born in the Seanad. Private Members’ Bills from Senators also have a significant impact on our laws.

The Seanad provides more space to debate contentious or challenging issues and over the decades it has allowed minority voices on issues to be put on the record. I think in particular of the struggle to advance the rights of the LGBTQI+ community and the fearless work of our longest serving colleague, Senator David Norris. I genuinely believe this work and some of the contributions on this matter would not have found the same space in Dáil Éireann. It is precisely for this reason that my party and I campaigned to retain the Seanad in 2013, acknowledging of course the need for reform.

Over the past century, diverse voices from all types of backgrounds and experiences have served in this Chamber. This is part of the richness of Seanad Éireann and precisely why we have centred the celebration around the theme of Minority Voices, Major Changes. This Chamber offers the opportunity to elect or nominate individuals who bring a particular expertise or representation to the Oireachtas who otherwise would not have an opportunity to be here. Today's Seanad illustrates that very well where we have 40% female representation compared with just 23% in the Lower House. There is also the first ever Oireachtas Member of the Traveller community, my colleague, Senator Eileen Flynn. I have no doubt that Seanad Éireann will continue to provide a space for diverse and minority voices and for discussion on important issues in Irish society.

Senator Paddy Burke

It is a great honour to say a few words on the 100th anniversary of Seanad Éireann. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and the staff of the Houses for organising this great event. I welcome the Taoiseach and members of the Government as well as former Members of Seanad Éireann.

I wonder what the Members of this House thought 100 years ago on this day. It was after the First World War and the War of Independence and in the middle of the Civil War. We owe those people, including the Members of this House who have served over the last number of years, a great debt of gratitude. The people of this country owe those people a lot.

We have a solid Constitution and sound laws in this country and our institutions have stood the test of time. All of the laws we have were passed in this House. All of the legislation went through this House. Every eventuality is covered in this country, including if we do not have a President, if the Government falls or if the removal of a member of the Judiciary is required. A number of members of the Judiciary are here today. We have the Council of State and the Presidential Commission and the Seanad plays its part in both. It has a huge role to play in this State and that did not happen by chance.

When I cast my mind back over the years in which I have been a Member, a lot of issues and eventualities come to mind. We had the financial crash and I can remember vividly that we sat right through the night with the former Minister for Finance, the late Deputy Brian Lenihan. He was questioned upside down and inside out on every aspect of the law that he was introducing so that the banks could open the following day and so people had money, could go to the banks and access it. I also think of Mr. Dónal de Róiste, to whom the Government and the Minister for Defence apologised in recent days and I wish him well. The review of his case happened because of a Private Members' motion that came through Seanad Éireann, proposed by the former Senator Eoghan Harris and seconded by former Senator Joe O'Toole. We had a great debate in Seanad Éireann with the then Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, former Deputy Pat Carey. The Government of the day, comprising Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, agreed to amend the motion so that a review would be set up to look into the dismissal of Mr. de Róiste from the Army. That happened in 2010 and I am sorry that it took until now for him to get his pardon and apology and I wish him well. All members of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the Green Party, Sinn Féin as well as Independent Senators unanimously agreed with amending that motion.

As we look forward to the next 100 years, I have no doubt at all that Seanad Éireann will play a hugely important role.

Senator Victor Boyhan

On behalf of my Independent colleagues, Senators McDowell, Norris, Craughwell, Mullen, Keogan and Clonan, I welcome the Taoiseach and thank him for his very kind words. I would also like to thank Mr. John Bowman for touching on the importance of Independent Senators, which is what I will focus on.

In preparation for today I took the time to look at an article in the The New York Times on the very first meeting of Seanad Éireann. It pointed out that of the 60 Members of Seanad Éireann, there were 36 Catholics, 20 Protestants, three Quakers and one Jew. It went on to say that the First Seanad was representative of all classes, although it was also described as the "most curious" political grouping in the history of the Irish State. I would like to think that this diversity remains within Seanad Éireann.

Not going back too far, I want to take the time to remember people like former Senator Gordon Wilson and the role he played, with his super-human display of clarity, charity and forgiveness regarding the Enniskillen bombing. I think of former Senator Feargal Quinn, the entrepreneur who championed enterprise and former Senator Catherine McGuinness, who championed social justice and law reform. I also think of our wonderful father of the House, Senator Norris, and his famous European Court of Human Rights case. The European Court ruled that the law in Ireland criminalising same-sex activities was contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights and in particular, Article 8, which protects the rights and respects the private lives of the citizens of this country. I also think of his then senior counsel, former Senator Mary Robinson, who went on to serve in this House. I think of my great friend the former Senator Maurice Hayes who was Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and chairman of the National Forum on Europe. He was a wonderful advocate for a pluralist State. He did so much work and was a very proud Northerner. I also think of former Senator Ian Marshall who was president of the Ulster Farmers Union and enjoyed an academic career at Queen's University, and of former Senator Marie Louise O'Donnell and her great advocacy in the Seanad for education, Irish culture, literature and drama. I think of former Senator Colette Kelleher who worked for social justice and Travellers' rights and former Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh who championed the Irish language, enterprise and innovation. Finally, I think of former Senator Billy Lawless who was a strong voice for Irish emigrants. He facilitated North-South and east-west co-operation and tapped in to our diaspora and its enormous potential.

I will finish by drawing attention to the crucial importance of the Independent politicians with independent minds who have played such a significant and important role in Seanad Éireann, a point echoed by the Taoiseach and Mr. Bowman today. I hope we will have the vision and courage to continue to bring independent and minority voices into Seanad Éireann. We do not want minority voices outside these Chambers; we want them in theses Houses, being respected and playing a meaningful role.

Senator Pauline O'Reilly

I welcome the Taoiseach, former Senators and all of our distinguished guests. To some, Seanad Éireann is familiar, small and almost cosy but I have seen, at close quarters, Ministers and officials squirm as they contend with lengthy debates in our Chamber. I have seen notes being passed from officials to Ministers as, hours into a debate, a Minister takes to his or her feet for the umpteenth time to respond to a cross-examination by Senators on policies or on legislation. Why do they squirm? It is because there is nothing quite like being held to account in a public place to keep politics honest and, ultimately, there is no advancement of thought without debate followed by reflection. The change that this debate brings about may not happen today or indeed tomorrow, but it does come. I have seen changes made to Ministers' legislation and policy approaches either through negotiations behind the scenes or as a result of an earlier debate.

Debate is the very foundation of democracy and of human society, and is one of the cornerstones of Seanad Éireann. It is underestimated but powerful. As four of only nine Green Party Senators to have ever sat in Seanad Éireann, it is an honour for us in the Green Party group to engage in that debate but it is also a grave responsibility for the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, Senators Garvey, Martin and myself. Indeed, this is true of all Senators as we face the greatest challenge human beings have ever faced, the existential threat that is climate collapse. That is the biggest change to hit politics and was invisible to the First Seanad. The evidence is all around us that climate change is here as we experience both the warmest and the coldest days in the middle of a winter unlike any that we can remember in the last 100 years. As we sit in our Chamber, there is a sense of anxiety about the future in the public consciousness and not just in politics. This new reality did not exist 100 years ago.

The climate science has now been accepted but it is climate action that politics must now be pushed to accept. The most important function our Chamber can now provide is to agree actions to save our species. It will take massive change to how we work, travel and feed ourselves. Some of this has already started to happen but much more is needed.

We in the Green Party, in common with former Senators Boyle, Dearey, de Búrca, Ó Brolcháin and O'Sullivan, seek change in approaches to climate, biodiversity and animal welfare. Human rights are also at the core. This Chamber provides an enviable opportunity to elect and appoint from diverse backgrounds, as others have said, from both North and South. More must be done to develop in that direction. This is part of the reason for our party's steadfast support for the bicameral parliamentary system. The Seanad has already begun to provide a platform for more women than any other chamber at national or local level, at 40% representation for women. It is an honour to be one of those women. It is an honour for all us here today, regardless of gender, to share in the history of Irish democracy.

Senator Victor Boyhan

Well said.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile

A dhaoine uaisle agus a chairde Gael, I begin by recognising and commending the contribution of the Seanad and Seanadóirí who, over the past century, have made a valuable contribution to the development of the society and democracy in this State, a democracy with many flaws, which matured with the passage of time to the point where it is now the bedrock upon which, when it arrives, a truly national democracy will be based.

I do not have much time and do not intend to analyse the detail of the past 100 years beyond mentioning the traumatic events bequeathed to us as a consequence of Britain's designs on Ireland and its people, which are, partition, civil war, a one-party unionist state in the North and the resistance to all of this by those seeking justice and national freedom. I intend my contribution to be future-focused and I have limited myself to the most important political issue facing the people of Ireland today, that is, the establishment of a new and independent Ireland, reflecting the people's democratically expressed wishes.

The Ireland of today is, of course, a significantly different place from the Ireland of 100 years ago when the Seanad was first established. For the first time ever, those seeking a new, independent and united Ireland have a clear and peaceful pathway to bringing that about, that is, through the Good Friday Agreement. Today, the political landscape has changed significantly, with my party, Sinn Féin, the lead party of government in the North and waiting to form a new administration there. It is also, of course, the main Opposition party in this State. The debate about Ireland's constitutional future is the foremost political topic of conversation across all sections of society, North and South. The Seanad will have a key role in giving space to those conversations. The debate is taking place in the Chambers of the Oireachtas, local government councils and city and town halls, as well as in academia, among economists, health professionals and educationalists. The topics being discussed are weighed and varied. These are the nuts and bolts, if you like, of the vision of a new Ireland.

The biggest challenge facing those of us advocating for such a new Ireland is convincing the unionist and Protestant people that their British and unionist identities are not only constitutionally guaranteed but will prosper as an integral and valued part of any new Ireland. We cannot say enough that the unionist people in the Six Counties are part of us, part of Ireland just like us. We want them to remain part of Ireland as we want our kith and kin to be part of Ireland whatever its constitutional future. I am proud to be a northern voice in this Seanad but I am only one northern voice. The Seanad has always been a space for the voices of our unionist brothers and sisters and it is a massive loss to this, the Twenty-sixth Seanad, that no such voice has been appointed or elected. We are the lesser for that.

I stress the importance of the Oireachtas and the Irish Government, and the leadership roles that both need to play as the constitutional debate unfolds. The importance of this role can be seen in the work of the shared island unit and in the recent initiative taken by the Seanad in holding a series of public hearings on our constitutional future. These are groundbreaking developments which need to be built on in the immediate time ahead. They reflect the potential that is waiting there to be tapped into by all of us together, le chéile. The Seanad has a diverse and storied history, not always without justified criticism. However, it has been, and can continue to be, a space for the many minority voices that make up the rich tapestry of the Irish nation.

Inniu, mhair an Seanad an céad. Tá súil agam go mbeidh taithí dhearfach agus fiúntach ag an Seanad agus muid ag dul isteach sa chéad chéad eile, go rachaimid ó neart go neart. Is againne mar Chomhaltaí agus mar shaoránaigh a bheidh an dúshlán sin. Creidim gur féidir linn.

Senator Rebecca Moynihan

I thank the Cathaoirleach, the Taoiseach, Ministers, former Members and distinguished guests. Seanad Éireann in the past 100 years has seen remarkable displays of resilience, activism and passion from politicians across the divide. I am proud to be here as a representative of Ireland's oldest political party. As many have said, this House was founded in the shadow of a bitter civil war and my party sought to bring a different perspective to the national Parliament. In the shadow of a turbulent war, emerging from the First World War, an era of globalisation and the industrial revolution, my party sought to give a voice to workers. The Seanad was founded on the bases of equality, liberty and a belief that citizens and workers are entitled not just to bread but also to roses.

Both the Irish State and my party have had a rocky, up and down history. We have been represented very ably in the Upper House by people such as Roddy Connolly, son of James Connolly and of Pimlico. We have also been represented by people such as former Senators Ivana Bacik, Michael D. Higgins and Evelyn Owens. With the indulgence of the Cathaoirleach, I feel it is only right to honour the legacies of some of the Labour Party women who were trail-blazers when they came through the Seanad. Evelyn Owens was one of those people who came to the Seanad on behalf of the Labour Party, beginning her public life as an activist and participant in trade unions while working for Dublin Corporation. She was the first woman to take the role of president of the Irish local government's official union, which is now Fórsa, and was a member of the committee at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. When elected to the Seanad in 1969, she was a champion and trail-blazer for the rights of workers and women.

No history of the Seanad can be told without the story of Evelyn's colleague, also elected in 1969, Mary Robinson, our first woman President. She spent her time here advocating for the rights of women and minorities. She played a pivotal role in pushing for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, the legalisation of divorce and contraception, the right to free legal aid and the right of women to sit on juries. In the shadow of a State now grappling with justice for the survivors of mother and baby homes, it is worth noting the work of Ms Robinson and former Senator John Horgan, who is with us today, for the rights of unmarried mothers in the 1970s, in what were cold political times for that kind of advocacy.

Mary Henry, although formally an Independent for the Trinity panel, was a long-standing Labour Party member who advocated for medical rights and women's health from her election in 1993. She advocated to improve community care centres, psychiatric hospitals and mental health services, and was one of the voices for prisoners, along with Joe Costello, in the Seanad.

Succeeding Mary Henry was my colleague and current leader of the Labour Party, Ivana Bacik. Her legacy in the Seanad is marked by her commitment to social and criminal justice. She was a long-time advocate for abortion activists from her time in college and she was at the forefront in campaigning in the Seanad against female genital mutilation, where she was joined and ably assisted by vanguards on the Government benches such as Fiona O'Malley.

It has been important since the Seanad's inception that there was a space in the national debate to advocate for workers, women and minorities, and to honour the legacy of those who came before us. That tradition continues today across the Seanad Chamber in many different parties. There are advocates for climate justice, workers and social justice. The first Senator from the Travelling community, Senator Eileen Flynn, was appointed. Others such as Senator Higgins are legislators extraordinaire in interrogating Ministers.

Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile

Hear, hear.

Senator Rebecca Moynihan

It is important that the Seanad continues to push the boundaries and to deepen the debate around our island, our European Union and our world.

Senator Alice-Mary Higgins

A Chathaoirligh, a Thaoisigh agus a cháirde, from the social, cultural and ecological contribution of Members of the First Seanad, such as Jennie Wyse Power and Eileen Costello, through to the work of the many former Senators who join us today, the Seanad has shaped national policy through a thematic lens, often identifying possibilities and challenges beyond any specific geographic constituency.

Senators have a strong record on social change and human rights, standing and speaking up against the conservative rollbacks of the 1920s and 1930s and supporting women's rights, reproductive rights and LGBT rights at times when that was difficult. Senators, including Senator Norris, established the first Oireachtas committee on foreign affairs, looking outwards to international human rights and Ireland's role in the world. That wider vision is still reflected in Seanad motions on global solidarity brought from all sides of the House, as well as in the urgent debates on climate action, the new role on EU scrutiny and ground-breaking legislation such as Senator Black's occupied territories Bill.

The Seanad is not just a platform. It plays a crucial and responsible role in the scrutiny, amendment and introduction of legislation with real impact, from the repeal of illegitimacy to the recognition of Irish Sign Language, the strengthening of workers' right and Senator Ruane's innovative Bill to ban non-disclosure agreements, now replicated and passed in parliaments from Australia to Canada.

Major change has often been led by minority voices and the Seanad has historically been a space where individuals from different traditions, experiences and perspectives can contribute to national debate. However, we still have a long road to travel on equality and inclusion. It took 98 years for Travellers to win representation in the Seanad with the appointment of Senator Flynn, a powerful Member of the Twenty-sixth Seanad and of our Civil Engagement Group. Much of Ireland's diversity is still missing from this room and too many do not even have the opportunity to cast a vote in the election of this House, despite referendums where the citizens of Ireland made it clear they valued the Seanad and wanted a say in it. Opening the franchise to all and passing the Seanad reform Bill is the essential test as we turn from the past to the future of this Seanad and our common nation.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

A Chathaoirligh, a Thaoisigh, Government Ministers, former Senators and distinguished guests, deirtear gur ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine. It is with that sentiment in mind that I seek to bring this 100th anniversary commemoration sitting to a conclusion.

Today we are reflecting on the last 100 years of the Seanad and looking back on the people in whose shadows we walk: poets, academics, activists, former Presidents, distinguished men and women. Over the years, the mix of representation in the Seanad has meant there could be meaningful debate on the matters of the day and, importantly, these issues could be debated in a different way. The composition of the Seanad was meant to be different from the Dáil and this difference means the Seanad can bring a distinctive perspective to policy formulation and scrutiny of legislation. Scrutiny and oversight are core to the work of the Upper House. The distinctive character of the Seanad gives us more opportunity to consider and debate legislation in a less partisan atmosphere, resulting in better informed and more considered legislation, which takes a longer view of what is best for the people of the nation. The Seanad was and remains a crucible for critical and fresh thinking and new ideas providing an impetus for a more inclusive and tolerant society.

As we look back on the occasion of this centenary, it is important to acknowledge that the functioning and operation of the Seanad over 100 years has been enabled by the hard work of many civil servants, including Clerks of the Seanad, some of whom are with us today, the teams in the offices at each stage and the ushers and other staff around the House. I thank all of these people for their dedication, professionalism and expertise over the years. I thank the Taoiseach, the Cathaoirleach, Members and former Members of Seanad Éireann and other distinguished guests for joining us in this commemorative event to mark the centenary of Seanad Éireann. Bhí ceiliúradh den chéad scoth againn go dtí seo agus, ar ndóigh, tá an chóisir le teacht. Tá mé ag súil go mór chun bualadh leis na hiarchomhghleacaithe. Tá go leor bainte amach againn agus tá mé dóchasach don todhchaí.

An Cathaoirleach

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach. I thank him for all his assistance. It was a pleasure to work with him for the past two and a half years. Many thanks are due to many people for the success of today's event and of the past year of commemorative events. I thank in particular the Taoiseach for honouring us with his presence.

Seinneadh na píobaí uilleann.

The uilleann pipes were played.

An Cathaoirleach

We are still on the record so that is definitely the first time a piece of music has been part of proceedings in a parliament anywhere in the world. On our 100th anniversary, it is most appropriate. I thank Mr. Eamonn Walsh, who is a member of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, which has been central to Irish traditional music and culture for decades and has been one of the Seanad’s nominating bodies for over 40 years. Labhrás Ó Murchú was a Member of the Seanad and president of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for many years. The music we heard was "The Coolin", which we are all familiar with and which is centuries old and appropriate to finish the proceedings with.

I thank Dr. John Bowman for his reflection earlier, the Ceann Comhairle for the use of the Dáil Chamber today, and the Office of Public Works for all its assistance with this event. I also thank the Royal Irish Academy, which has permitted the use of the Stopford Green casket, which graces our Chamber today and has the names of all of the Members of the First Seanad on it. They signed that scroll. I thank our neighbours in the National Museum of Ireland, who are allowing us to use the Ceramics Room. I thank Mr. Peter Finnegan, Secretary General, who is present, for all his assistance in making this event possible, not only today but throughout the year. I commend the efforts of all the staff and contractors on making this centenary year such a special event. The Seanad is about minority voices for major change. This has been one of its key roles for the past hundred years.

There are too many involved to mention them all but I would like to mention the communications unit team under the leadership of Mr. Derek Dignam and Ms Mairéad Treanor; the Clerk of the Seanad, Mr. Martin Groves; the clerk assistant, Ms Bridget Doody; all the members of the Seanad staff who are behind the railings; and Ms Martha Dowling, who has been extraordinary in her work on Seanad 100.

As public representatives, we all know how much our families help us in our work. I thank them on behalf of all the Members. I thank the families of Senators past and present for all their support. They deserve a round of applause.

On a personal note, I thank my own family. Thanks to Seán and Eileen, and to my brothers and sisters, John, Conor and Paul, Elaine, Gaelle and Aoife. I also thank all nine of my nieces and nephews; I thank them for stuffing all the envelopes. Special thanks to Ms Grace Coyle, who has managed to fit five years' work into two and a half.

To you all, slán. I wish you all the very best. Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.

Cuireadh an Seanad ar athló ar 1.33 p.m. go dtí 11 a.m., Dé Máirt, an 13 Nollaig 2022.

The Seanad adjourned at 1.33 p.m. until 11 a.m. on Tuesday, 13 December 2022.