I note that despite the fact that it does not specify on the Order Paper the Leader has indicated that No. 1 is to be taken without discussion. This is despite the fact that when I raised this matter on Tuesday the Deputy Leader said there would be discussion. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that we take No. 1 first with discussion. Although the personnel are by and large okay - the chief executive and the chairman, and so on - there is at least one Government toady there and we know that the current Government tried to have many civil servants appointed because it wanted to keep it in-house. Not taking this matter undermines the role of the Seanad and we must send a signal that we will keep watching this area, where the Equal Rights Authority was dismembered by a previous Government.

I would like to raise what happened here yesterday with the asylum Bill. Sinn Féin let itself down. We would have won with its votes.

We are not discussing yesterday's business today.