Advisers in the Seanad Chamber
Senator Barrett criticises advisers’ interruptions and prompting of Ministers, and asks the Leader to establish a protocol limiting their presence in the Chamber.
We are usually treated to a tour de force from the Leader when he responds to the questions we ask on the Order of Business. I sometimes think he must be using radar to know what is going on in people's offices. He always seems to have the answers. That is important because it contrasts with what happened here yesterday. The manner in which the troops of advisers who sit in the chairs beside the Cathaoirleach came in and out of the Chamber and engaged in conversation interrupted the business of the House on several occasions.
Comment on this
Members of this House had to stop speaking. The Minister of State seemed to find many of the anecdotes that were being shared with him entertaining. He did not listen to Senators. It looked particularly bad on television. Perhaps Members of the House are conditioned not to look and see who is present. Ministers and Ministers of State should master their briefs. Those who sit the junior certificate and leaving certificate examinations are not allowed to bring two or three chums in with them to prompt them on the correct answers.
Comment on this
It contrasts unfavourably with what happens in Westminster, when the Prime Minister stands at the despatch box and has to answer without any obvious prompters about the place. The same thing applies in the Northern Ireland Assembly. I ask the Leader to prepare a new protocol for advisers when they enter this House. Perhaps he could start by confining Ministers and Ministers of State to one adviser at a time.
I have to diverge from Senator Norris with regard to the promotion of Deputy Donohoe to the rank of Minister of State. I do so not least because the new Minister of State is a former student of mine. We always follow the rule set by an old tutor in TCD - we hope our students learn as much from us as we do from them, and about half as much from us as from their fellow students. I suggest that Deputy Donohoe would have spotted the design faults in the euro, for example, if he had been around at the time. When we win the referendum and he comes to address this House in its next term, I hope we will be magnanimous in victory. I will try to persuade Senator Norris to be magnanimous too. I wish the outgoing Minister of State every success. She is a woman of principle and that is always to be admired.