Ba maith liom an tOllamh Seán Ó Murchú a mholadh mar Chathaoirleach. Fear cróga, oilte, ciallmhar, léanta agus fear a bhfuil an Ghaeilge go maith aige agus blas álainn dílis ar fad.
It is my great honour to propose my colleague, Senator John A. Murphy, for the role of Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. I did so in my somewhat halting Irish because I am aware of the fact that Senator Murphy is one of the regrettably small number of Members of this House who is extraordinarily proficient in what is constitutionally regarded as the first national tongue. I feel it is a very good thing that a distinguished scholar, a man of learning, courage and conviction should be nominated from the Independent benches to fill this very important role.
This is not the moment to cast aspersions on the reputation of any person in this House. I would, however, make a general point that we feel it is important that the function of Cathaoirleach should be, and should be clearly seen to be totally, entirely and absolutely non-political and non-partisan. Therefore, it is particularly fitting that there should be a serious and dignified nomination from this side of the House of a senior Member of the House who is independent in mind and independent also of any suggestion of party affiliation and one who also clearly represents that principal aspect of Irish public life for which the Seanad was crated. I speak of the vocational aspect, for Senator Murphy, as you know, has a distinguished record not only as a maker of history but also as a recorder and an analyst of history as a professional historian.
The confidence of the people of Ireland in Senator Murphy has been plainly evinced in five elections. He was elected in 1977, 1981, 1982, 1987 and 1989. The six Independent Members of this side of the House are perfectly serious. We are not making an empty symbolic gesture. We are offering to people of goodwill from all parties the opportunity to make good for once the empty rhetoric about the rspect in which the Seanad is held and the respect in which they would like to see it held in Irish political life.
At elections it is normal for candidates who present themselves for election to speak and I understand and I very much hope that my distinguished colleague will speak this afternoon in this debate, and I invite the other candidates to speak also for we are entitled to know what the qualificatins are on which they presume to put themselves before this august House. I believe it is inappropriate, if what I read in the newspapers is true, that this job should be selected out of a hat. I have heard of Pat "The Cope" Gallagher. I wonder is Senator Doherty about to acquire the soubriquet Seán "The Hat" Doherty. It is very important that we hear from the candidates involved what are the qualities they possess. I, in particular, would like to know, because it is important in the election of a Cathaoirleach, what their views are so that we can judge the suitability.
It is almost possible that I will vote with the Government if I can be convinced, because I am a man of open mind. It is highly unlikely but perhaps Senator Doherty, who is a man of immense charm and considerable intellegence and wit, might just about do so. But he would, first of all, have to do one thing which is unusual in this House: he would have to tell me what his future political intentions and ambitions are, because I have referred to this House previously as being regarded as a kind of a convalescent home for politicians. I would hate to think that it was becoming an intensive care unit for political reputations so that they can be resuscitated. I wonder if Senator Doherty would answer hypothetical questions about, for example, what might occur if there was a by-election in the Roscommon constituency? We are entitled to know whether we have a Cathaoirleach for the entire life of this Seanad.
I would like also, without being churlish, to say that I view with a certain sense of irony the entry of Fianna Fáil's partners in coalition into this House because I heard this morning a Senator from Waterford saying that he intended to enter this House with a view to securing its extinction. I have heard of a trojan horse and this sounds to me like a trojan ass. I think, in fact, it is rather insulting to those of us who take the Seanad seriously for people to come in with the commitment to the destruction of an Upper Chamber that is, can be and has shown itself to be an effective instrument in the refinement of legislation.
I listened with great attention to what my distinguished colleague, Senator Maurice Manning, had to say and I applaud the fact that Fine Gael are going to again push for reform of the Seanad. I know there are many people of goodwill on the Government side who also would like to see substantial reform of the Seanad. I believe that my colleagues on the Independent benches will certainly actively promote this. In fact, I believe it was my colleague, Senator Shane Ross from Trinity, who actually placed this as a matter on the Order Paper in the last session of the Seanad and led the discussion on it. We will certainly participate in it and we will have more suggestions to make.
We are a legislative Chamber. I see that it has been announced or leaked — one is never quite sure of the fine distinctions between these phrases — but it has made its appearance in the media that it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation through this House. It is also the intention of the Independent Members to introduce legislation in areas where the Government are deficient, but one area in which the machinery of State itself is deficient is the fact that Opposition Members and, particularly Independents, are not granted the facilities to frame legislation properly. It is difficult to acquire the services of a parliamentary draftsman, and I believe this is one of the reforms that should be made. These services should be made available easily to the legislators of this country.
I also welcome the fact that spokes-persons on both sides of the House acknowledged the existence of the Foreign Affairs Committee and I hope the Government will formally recognise this. I would like to take this opportunity to advertise the fact that on 9 November at 3 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee and I would like to extend an invitation to all Members to attend. I hope the reappointed Leader of the House will rescind the instruction to the Fianna Fáil members of that committee that they should not join this committee and I hope some of them will have the courage to join with us in the Foreign Affairs Committee of both Houses of the Oireachtas.
There is no question that we will have an election to the position of Cathaoirleach today. I would recommend the new Cathaoirleach to study the records of the last several Seanaid, because there is a wide margin of appreciation allowed to the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad in making decisions with regard to matters to be taken on the Adjournment, with regard to when to put votes and so on, and this margin of appreciation is so wide that in the hands of a political appointee it can sometimes be suspected that there may be just a hint of party bias which we would blush to mention from these benches. I think the incoming Cathaoirleach would do very well to read the lessons of history. Of course, in the case of the gentleman and scholar whom I have the honour to propose this will not be necessary but should it turn out that Senator Murphy is not elected to this high office, then I would strongly recommend to the incoming officeholder that he or she should study the past in order to learn both from the excellent decisions and also from those decisions which raise a certain element of doubt.
I would like to place on record my thanks to the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Senator Honan, for the dignity and the courtesy with which she always entertained my complaints and my various ideas with regard to the Seanad and to say that I look forward to her contributions from the benches of the Government party.
I would like to conclude by extending a very warm welcome to a very distinguished citizen of Dublin, Alderman Carmencita Hederman, who has joined Senator Ross and myself on the Independent benches as a representative of the University of Dublin, Trinity College.