There is nothing for any of us to bloat about in the current lamentable situation regarding the Seanad by-election, but there are lessons we can learn. I have been astonished by the position of Labour Party Members. They have consistently said it was nothing to do with them. I heard the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, say so on the wireless this morning. It has everything to do with them. They are part of a Government. Standards in national political life ought to be part of the Labour Party's responsibility.

On a point of order, as leader of the Labour Party group in the Seanad, I never said that. I have been very clear about outlining my concerns.

I accept that, but the Senator's colleagues have been clear that it is nothing to do with the Labour Party. In addition, the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, appointed his driver to the board of Irish Water. It gets more like-----

On a point of order, that is not true.

I do not know what I said wrong.

The Senator said the Minister of State appointed his driver to the board of Irish Water; he did not.

Okay. Well he was on the board of Irish Water. I am certainly happy to withdraw that remark.

The interesting thing is what the driver said. He said, "You tell me one party out there who doesn't look after their own. I don't see anything wrong with it. It's politics." Even if Fine Gael does not see anything wrong with it, I certainly do. Am I the only person in this House or in the media who finds it a national reproach and disgusting that somebody should be elected to our national Parliament in an electorate of a mere 225 votes of political hacks? There is a story to which the media should direct their attention and call for proper genuine reform of Seanad Éireann.

I object to the use of the term "political hacks". People are elected by the electorate in Dáil constituencies and elected to the Seanad under the Constitution.

In terms of this by-election they are certainly political hacks.

That is how the Constitution is structured and I resent the word "hacks" being used in reference to Members of the Oireachtas.

One of the issues that has not been highlighted is that the Taoiseach has appointed 12 people in total to the Seanad, eight of whom were women. He has appointed only two people from the Fine Gael Party out of the 12 people, with three from the Labour Party and seven Independents. That is his record to date on which we have had no discussion in the media. For three days last week we had non-stop commentary on one issue without any reference to the 12 people the Taoiseach appointed previously.

It is not a question of him appointing 12 people.

He did it with a view to abolishing it the following year.

How democratic is that?

As I did not interfere with the Senator, please-----

Senator Colm Burke to continue, without interruption.