Seanad reform and legislation
Senator Quinn asks why Seanad reform is absent from the legislative programme and urges faster legislative action, citing delays over road-safety equipment and aircraft defibrillators.
I also send my best wishes to Senator Jimmy Harte. He impacted on all of us in this House when he spoke. It is a reminder of how quickly his political life could stop. We wish him well and hope he has a speedy recovery.
The legislative programme published yesterday does not include Seanad reform, yet Senators John Crown and Katherine Zappone and I have tabled amendments, motions and Bills on this matter. The Leader organised a debate on the report of the working group on Seanad reform in May with former Senators Maurice Manning and Joe O'Toole. It gave great attention to the matter and we were given significant promises but where has it turned up? Seanad reform is not even included in the list for planned legislation in the coming session.
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Senator Fidelma Healy Eames is right, it is shameful. It is outrageous that it has not happened. Is there any possibility that Seanad reform will be on the agenda? I would quite happily introduce a Bill when my next Private Members’ time comes up in a month or so to debate this again. Is it possible that we could manage to get it through?
One of my frustrations in this House in the past 22 years is the time it takes for legislation to be introduced. Six years ago, when I bought a German-made car which contained a reflective triangle, a first-aid kit, a torch and other emergency items, I called for the making of such emergency kits compulsory for all cars. The Minister at the time supported my calls. Nothing, however, happened. Yesterday, the current Minister said he was delighted the Garda was calling for legislation to this effect. My call was made five years ago. Around the same time, I introduced a Bill on the provision of defibrillators. The Minister at the time said the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, would examine the possibility of introducing such legislation.
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The Minister at the time was Deputy James Reilly.
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Nothing happened, however, because it was claimed it was too costly. What happened this week, however? Ryanair announced it was going to put a defibrillator in each of its aeroplanes. However, it will not be the case for Aer Lingus aeroplanes. This shows the time it took for this to happen. We need to get the legislative process moving.