When is it proposed to sit again?
Business of Seanad.
Before the House adjourns, I wish to make a number of brief points. We have reached the end of a very long and wearing session of the Seanad. The House sat on as many days in this session as it did throughout last year. It has also been a very difficult session because we lost our beloved Cathaoirleach and one of our most beloved and distinguished Members, Senator Gordon Wilson. It has been a very hardworking and sad session for us all.
I wish to pay tribute to the staff of the House. They have served the Seanad in an exemplary fashion with hard work, exacting standards and unfailing courtesy to us all. The staff is small and we all owe them a great debt for the tremendous public service which they perform on behalf of the Seanad. I also pay tribute to the other staff of the House, the transcribers, who record Senators' thoughts, which perhaps are not that great, with accuracy and fairness.
I thank the media which, to a decreasing extent, cover the activities of this House. One of the issues which may be addressed over the summer is the media coverage of this House. I am not attacking but thanking those who have done their jobs so well but perhaps we could consider how we can engage the attention of others a little more.
I also thank the Cathaoirleach for his work as Leas-Chathaoirleach and Cathaoirleach and for his courtesy and professionalism. In particular, I thank the leader of the Opposition and the former Opposition Chief Whip, who is our new Leas-Chathaoirleach. The Seanad works on the basis of co-operation and a high level of trust and of people setting out to achieve common standards. This trust has always existed as far as the Opposition parties are concerned. I hope I have not omitted anybody and I thank all those who put so much work into making this session so successful.
On behalf of our leader in the Seanad, Senator Wright, the Fianna Fáil group and the Opposition, I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his new office and wish him well in the future. I compliment you on the kind, efficient and courteous way in which you carried out your duties as Leas-Chathaoirleach.
I concur with the Leader of the House that this session will not be forgotten for a long time, given the loss of our distinguished Cathaoirleach, great friend and colleague, Senator Seán Fallon, and Senator Gordon Wilson. They have left their mark on us and the Seanad and their contributions will not be forgotten for years to come, particularly the guidance of the former Cathaoirleach during his 14 years in the House. I will never forget Senator Gordon Wilson's maiden speech about the peace initiative in Northern Ireland or the amount of good he did. His membership of the Seanad is a shining example to us all.
I thank the Leader of the House for the smooth running of the Seanad and the leaders and Whips of all the groups. I thank the Clerk of the Seanad and her staff for the very efficient way in which she carried out her duties. We are very fortunate to have a person of her calibre conducting our affairs. As Senator Manning said, the staff running the affairs of the Upper House is small and it takes a person of great quality to keep everything running smoothly and everybody motivated.
As the Leader said, the House is receiving a diminishing level of coverage in the press. Perhaps this matter can be addressed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges over the coming months and we can examine how the position can be improved. I wish everybody well over the short summer vacation. As mentioned earlier, the House is adjourning sine die but the committees will continue until the end of July and throughout most of September. Although the House is adjourned Members of the Oireachtas probably work harder and longer hours at the committees than during sitting days of the Houses.
I join in acknowledging that this was probably one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Seanad. I join in thanking the staff of the Seanad office and the transcribers. I endorse the Leader's sentiments with regard to the press and I thank all the Members for their courtesy and co-operation over the last term. I wish them all a well earned break.
It is proposed to adjourn sine die.