It is fair to say that what is happening here today in relation to No. 1 is a disgrace.

Hear, hear.

If the Government Senators vote for this motion, each and every one of them should be ashamed of themselves. I would ask not that the Chief Whip would come before the House, but that the Taoiseach would come before the House because he is the person who is pulling the strings here. He is the person who, in the Dáil, stated this was about getting a Government majority. This is about the Government wanting a partisan banking inquiry rather than an inquiry that gets down to the business of getting truth of what happened in the banking sector.

We have nothing to hide in a banking inquiry.

Senator Cullinane, without interruption.

The reality is they do not want the banking inquiry to get to the truth.

We do.

Let it happen.

They are more interested in scoring political points.

It is happening.

I say that because the party they are scoring points off is Fianna Fáil. They are more interested in doing that than getting to the truth.

Has Senator Cullinane a question for the Leader?

It is shameful that this amendment is being put to us. It states, "notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders", that we will set aside Standing Orders to allow the Government to gerrymander the banking inquiry. That is what they are attempting to do-----

Are you joking?

Senator Cullinane, without interruption.

-----gerrymander the banking inquiry for their own interests.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Taoiseach comes into the Seanad. I also appeal to all Independent Senators not to be part of this sham that is happening in the Seanad today, and to stand with Standing Orders and with democracy and not allow the Government to gerrymander the banking inquiry for its own interests.

Hear, hear.

It is the ultimate irony to hear Fianna Fáil talking about skulduggery and Sinn Féin talking about democracy.

The other point I would make is never to let the truth stand in the way of a good story. Let us be clear about what we are appointing Senators to. We are not appointing Senators to a banking inquiry. We are appointing them to a committee of inquiry to set terms of reference for a banking inquiry.

That is why the Taoiseach stated he needed a majority.

Get real.

This may be too legally complex-----

Would you get real.

-----for some of the eminent minds on the other side of the House----

It might assist Senator Hayden-----

Senator Daly should resume his seat.

-----but that is the fact of the matter.

On a point of order.

If I may proceed-----

Senator Daly, on a point of order.

The Government is appointing Senators to a kangaroo court.

Is that a point of order?

That is not a point of order. Senator Daly should resume his seat.

That proves my point about the level of debate on the other side of this House.

They are gerrymandering the appointments to suit themselves and if Senator Hayden cannot see that, shame on her.

If Senator Daly does not resume his seat, I will not call him.

Wishing no disrespect, that is not a point of order and carries no content of any intellectual nature.

Has Senator Hayden a question for the Leader?

I have been interrupted. I should be entitled to make my point.

Has Senator Hayden a question for the Leader?

Senator Hayden should put her question.

Senator Hayden interrupted me several times.

It may seem unusual to have a two-tiered process where one has one committee setting terms of reference and another committee constituting the banking inquiry, but there is no guarantee that those who are on the committee set up to set out the terms of reference will, in fact, be those on the banking inquiry. Indeed, in response to Senator Barrett, it might be the decision of that committee that the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform will conduct the banking inquiry.

Let us take one step backwards here. If I might just make a point here-----

Put away the shovel.

Senator Hayden, without interruption.

Is this a new committee?

----- it is my honest opinion that the number of members of the banking inquiry was too small and that it needed to be extended in any event. It is a lucky coincidence that we happen to have two additional Senators on it. For the record, Senator O'Keeffe has a well-deserved reputation internationally as an investigative journalist and while less may be known about our colleague, Senator Michael D'Arcy, as Labour Party finance spokesperson, it has been my experience of him as Fine Gael finance spokesperson that he is a calm, reflective individual-----

This is totally irrelevant.

----- who has displayed good judgment.

Stop digging.

This has nothing to do with investigative journalism.

In the same way-----

Does Senator Hayden have a question for the Leader? She has gone way over time.