Diaspora representation and foreign affairs
Senators call for debate on presidential voting rights for the diaspora, criticise media balance on marriage equality, and seek renewed discussion of the Middle East crisis.
I second the amendment to the Order of Business put forward by my colleague, Senator Quinn.
I draw the attention of the House to a debate on Radio 1 at lunchtime on Saturday about gay marriage. There were three people opposing gay marriage and two, including Senator Zappone, supporting it. This seems to be odd. Even as an interpretation of the McKenna judgment, if one considers that 66% of the people are in favour of gay marriage, it was three to two. That is supposed to be balance on Radio 1. The Seanad was also represented by Senator Rónán Mullen who did his usual thing of saying, "Let us treat everybody with respect" but then inveighed against what was described as "the Government's twisted legislation", which did not seem to me to display all that much respect.
There is also the question of allowing the diaspora to vote in presidential elections.
That is an excellent idea but we did not attack the central problem of the Presidency, which was addressed at my instigation by the Constitutional Convention. A total of 97% voted in favour of extending the method of nomination and the Government ignored it.
Comment on this
A total of 97% of the people of Ireland said the presidential nomination process should be broadened. Let us hear something about that instead of this tinkering away at the edges. Let the Government for once fully address the central issues involved instead of endlessly tinkering around the edges.
Could we have a debate on the Middle East? We had a very good one recently. I am very grateful to the Leader and you, a Chathaoirligh, for bringing the Seanad back in July for that reason. The situation there is ghastly. I received an e-mail today that says Gaza has run out of petrol. A maximum of six hours of electricity remains. I am sorry to say that at the same time my old university, Trinity College, whose graduates I represent, is collaborating with the Israeli arms industry in defence systems and drone technology. That is shameful. I am all in favour of the exchange of ideas and I do not agree with a total block on academic exchange but I do not think we should be involved in that kind of military technology.