When is it proposed to sit again?
Business of Seanad.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
We are adjourning sine die. It has been the custom when the House goes into recess for the Leader of the House to say a few words. He had intended doing so at 5 p.m. this evening which is the time we had agreed to adjourn. In his absence I want to take this opportunity of thanking everyone in this House for the help they have given us in this session.
We have achieved a lot since we came back here last January. Today is our 50th sitting day and that is an all-time record for this House. When it is compared with 63 days in the other House it is a very good performance which cannot be ridiculed by politicians in the other House and others who are not Members of either House.
We passed no less than 35 Bills in that period. Two of the Bills deserve special mention, the Insurance Bill and the Companies Bill which has not yet been finalised and will take another few days, but it was one of the most major Bills that ever came into this House. It was a long and tedious Bill and on Committee Stage each section was teased out word by word. Nine Bills were initiated in this House. In addition, we had 14 Private Members' motions and quite a lot of other business such as all-party motions, etc.
In conclusion, I want to thank the Opposition for the manner in which they helped us here to get through that business. Were it not for the help and cooperation of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the Independent Senators it would not have been possible.
I would like to thank the Clerk of the Seanad here, Mr. Kieran Coughlan, and his very able assistant, and the ladies across the way who sat here patiently all through our sittings. I want to pay a special tribute and thanks to the press for their help here. We did not get all the publicity in the papers that this House warranted but I know it was not the fault of the people who are sitting here every day. I am quite sure they reported everything that happened here to their papers but others higher up than they, I suppose, thought that it was not worth publishing.
Again, I thank each and every one. I am sorry if I have left anyone out. I hope that when we all come back here again we will be ready to take on the rest of the business we have to do this year.
It is fitting at the conclusion of a session to pay tribute to the many people who have assisted in the working of the House. In her absence I would like to express the thanks of the Fine Gael group to the Cathaoirleach, Tras Honan, who exhibited her usual style during the course of the session. I would also like to thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, and those other Members of the House who assisted you in your functions. You bring a certain gravitas, if I might say so, to the work of the House. My thanks are due to the Whips, and here I would pause for a moment to say that probably the most significant event for Fine Gael Senators, and I expect for all Members of the House, was the loss of Senator Jackie Daly during the course of the year. We mourn his passing and we miss his cheerful friendly presence. I would like to thank Senator Cregan, our Whip, who has very ably succeeded Jackie.
I would also like to pay tribute to Senator Willie Ryan who has liaised very effectively with the Fine Gael Whip. I pay tribute, too, to the Clerk of the Seanad, Kieran Coughlan, to his Assistant Clerk, Deirdre Lane, and to Josie Briody who provides a very effective and efficient back-up service. Our thanks also are due to the press who are unfailing in their attendance in the House. I have an impression that the affairs of this House received better press coverage in the past year than they have for some time and our thanks are due to the members of the press who have assisted in that process. I would also thank the Editor of Debates and the staff who have been unfailing and diligent in their work. Also, our thanks are due to the ushers and the staff of the House generally.
I cannot say that the organisation of the work of the House was at all times as effective or as efficient as we would like it to be. A case can be made for clearer lines of communication. It would minimise a certain frustration which is felt from time to time. I know nothing goes on oiled wheels and nothing can be like clockwork but I do think that perhaps there could be a degree of improvement in the lines of communication. Sometimes the exchanges have departed from what is the normal political cut and thrust and have deteriorated from a certain banter which enlivens political debate in any event and perhaps a certain analysis of why this has happened would not be amiss.
All in all, it has been a useful session. The expertise of this House has been availed of. If I were to single out any area where I feel a sense of disappointment it is the fact that we did not manage to have a debate in recent weeks on the Northern Ireland issue which is continuing to fester, which is bringing tragedy, sadness and tremendous instability to the northern part of our country and is having a certain backwash here in the South as well. We have, in particular, Members of this House who have experience, insight and very strong views who have been clamouring for a debate on this.
The Whip on the Fianna Fáil side, the acting Leader of the House, has said that the number of sitting has been recorded at 50. I would prefer to judge the performance of this House on the quality rather than the quantity. I think I have done so and have said I feel that, as usual, the quality of debate was high. We have had some good Private Members' motions, some good motions on the Adjournment and all in all a workmanlike and satisfactory session. On behalf of the Fine Gael Party, my thanks to all concerned.
I should like to join with the Fianna Fáil Whip, Senator Ryan in thanking the official reporters, the media and especially the staff of the House, Mr. Kieran Coughlan, Miss Josie Briody and Miss Deirdre Lane for their help during the session.
Having said that, it is worthwhile looking back at what has been done. I would prefer at this point to do so in a positive way. This has been a fairly intense session, a lot of business has been put through. Certainly we, on this side, would argue that other business might have been taken and should have been dealt with. Nevertheless, it is important to record that debates took place on such issues as the Enniskillen tragedy and the position in South Africa, with the extension of birthday greetings to Nelson Mandela. What I consider to be a milestone, a historic all-party debate on AIDS took place in this House as did an all-party debate on the Constitution. These debates were important both for the status of the House and in terms of creating a forum in which to discuss issues which are perhaps not normally dealt with. Similarly, the debate last week on the shooting down of the Iranian jet was very important while also being topical. I know I said this yesterday but I mention those debates particularly to make the case for topicality. It is important that the House responds quickly to such issues.
Probably the most important point about the House that needs to be made is that it does not pose a threat to the Government, it was never intended that it would pose a threat to the Government of the day. It should never be looked on in that way and it should never be looked on as being other than an extension to the process of legislation and Government. For that reason, I would always appeal to the Government Party, whoever they might be, to look on the House in that way, as a place where items of importance can be discussed.
It is important to refer to what I would call the green field legislation, in other words, legislation initiated in this House de novo, in particular, the Adoption Bill and the Companies Bill. I would point out for those people who wish to know that the number of changes made in the Companies Bill in this House is equal to the number of changes made in all the legislation that has passed through the other House. It is worthwhile putting that fact on the record. This is the only House in which legislation can be properly teased out, developed and strengthened in a non-threatening manner. I make that point not just to underline the efficacy of the House itself but also by way of a request to the Fianna Fáil Whip that in drawing up the agenda and programme of work for the new session he would stress upon Ministers the importance of introducing legislation in this House. Certainly those members of the Government who would wish to have their legislation given due consideration and teasing out should introduce it in this House. I believe that legislation introduced here — I have checked this with the Ministers who dealt with it — was certainly improved.
Before concluding I would like to make reference to what I consider to be a very important debate. That was the debate on nuclear disarmament and the proposals for the nuclear industry across channel. That led the way to something extremely important. Finally, I would like, despite whatever rows there may have been during the course of the session, to thank the Government Whip, Senator Ryan, for his unfailing courtesy at all times even in the midst of rows. I would like to put that fact on the record, so that I can all the more easily have rows with him in the future.
I would like to endorse the last few words of Senator O'Toole in that certainly we on the Independent benches have had nothing but courtesy from and civilised dialogue with the Government despite the fact that we have had many disagreements as we will no doubt have in the future also. I would like also to pay tribute to you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, for the dignified way in which you carried out you duties, to the clerk, his assistant, the press and to everybody involved in the management and administration of this House.
Having said that, I think it is wrong that we should just sit here this evening and, just because it is the end of the session, indulge in some sort of nice cosy congratulations. It would be wrong to allow ourselves to pass over the warts and the difficulties we have had and will have and not to say that maybe we should do something about them in the future.
There are dreadful flaws in the management of this House. I congratulate the Government for introducing such Bills as the Companies Bill and the Insurance Bill and for the changes that were made in those Bills following their examination. That is a tribute to this House. However, let us not be dishonest about it: some of the organisation and administration of this House has been simply chaotic. I hope that in the furture this will be avoided.
We only have to take this afternoon. It was appalling that at 3 p.m. we did not know how long to adjourn for, should it be for two or three minutes, maybe half an hour or an hour, and eventually we settled for an hour because nobody knew whether a Minister was available or at what time we were going to adjourn. That is not satisfactory. It is also not satisfactory that we are told for the first time officially today that the House, possibly, is going into recess. It would be far more sensible for the Government to tell us what their intentions are before we go into recess this evening. It would be far more sensible to have some sort of organisation in the order of this House so as to avoid chaos.
I would like to emphasise several other things while I am at it. The first thing I would point out is that we never sit, unless it suits the Government, on Mondays or Fridays. There is an enormous amount of unfinished business. There are some 50 items listed on the Order Paper but we only sit on Mondays and Fridays when the Government have something urgent to discuss or possibly when we are going into recess. When we are in a hurry to go on our holidays, we can sit on Fridays but not at any other time. That is not good enough, we should be able to sit on Mondays and Fridays.
There are Private Members' Bills about hanging, nuclear disarmament and so on, on the Order Paper. These are matters of vital public importance which we have not been given time to discuss, yet we can rush other items through. Today and on several other occasions we have had an hour to spare — out of the air they suddenly appear — and either last week or the week before last, and this I deplore the Government decided to guillotine a Bill of great public importance. That was disgraceful behaviour, all because the Government had not got the business organised and wanted to curtail business. Yet, there are times when not enough business is ordered or when Ministers are not available. I deplore that as well.
There are other relevant subjects which have been ignored by the Government. I deplore the Leader of the House giving several pledges to this House that we will debate Anglo-Irish relations and I deplore once again the fact that he has seen fit not to have a debate on Anglo-Irish relations because this does damage to the Seanad itself. If we cannot discuss relevant matters or if the Leader of the House does not trust his own backbenchers to discuss relevant matters, then the Seanad is brought down and that, too, is something I deplore.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
The Chair——
I am about to pay tribute to the Government. While this session in some ways has been constructive in that there has been detailed examination of Bills, it has been damaged by the fact that we have not been allowed to discuss relevant matters simply because it would be a little uncomfortable to do so at the time. I would like to see more relevant matters discussed and less chaos in the routine and organisation of the Seanad.
On behalf of the Labour Party, I would like to thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh and, indeed, the Cathaoirleach, in her absence, for the very effective and, I believe, fair way in which business has been conducted in this House throughout the session. I would like to thank the Clerk, Kieran, the Assistant Clerk, Deirdre, and Josie for all the help and co-operation the Labour group received from them throughout the year and, indeed, for their very fine contribution towards the running of the House. To the reporting staff and to the press our thanks are also due. Senator Bulbulia referred to Senator Daly and on behalf of the Labour group I join with her in saying that we very much lament the passing of the late Senator Jack Daly, a most affable man, a true democrat who was absolutely committed to the best operations of this House.
The Government are to be complimented on the amount of legislation that was presented in this House. However, it did strike me during the year that possibly we should be looking at the idea of having one House as an executive body and the other as a legislature. Many Bills do not get sufficient time in the Dáil at present, whereas time can be devoted to them in this House. Senator Ross referred to the fact that a Bill was guillotined here. That is a regrettable course. I hope it does not happen again. In general, in terms of teasing out details and improving legislation, this House made a very important contribution in this session. Go raibh mhaith agat, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.
I heard the debate on the Adjournment from my office and I would like to thank the Cathaoirleach, the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the staff of the House in general, the press and everybody connected with the House for the courtesy and the help they gave us during this session. I do not intend to reply to the points raised except to say that we will adjourn sine die.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
Ar son an Chathaoirligh agus ar mo shon féin ba mhaith liom freisin mo bhuíochas a ghabháil. I wish to express my appreciation and thanks for the co-operation and courtesy extended to me and to my Assistant Chairmen during this session. Is it agreed that the House adjourn sine die? Agreed.