Listening and respectful debate
Senator Reilly stresses that effective learning requires listening, in the context of the previous day’s contentious debate.
I, too, congratulate the Irish soccer teams for their superb performances to date, in particular the Republic of Ireland's team and their management. I congratulate the fans because they are probably the best advertisement for tourism that this country could ever have. Their outstanding behaviour, generosity and sense of fun and craic have been acknowledged. They have shown that people can have a good time without causing problems for others.
I echo what Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell said, with the following line. If one seeks to learn, one has got to listen. Yesterday the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government came here to speak, but he was continually interrupted. I fail to see how the Senator concerned can learn anything if he is not prepared to listen.
Today I wish to raise the same issue as the acting leader on the far side, Senator Mark Daly. I am being kind when I say the insurers are behaving in a very peculiar fashion in the premia they are trying to extract. I know people who got quotes recently that were double what they were paying. Therefore, it would be appropriate for the Leader to invite the Committee of Public Accounts to invite the insurers to attend a meeting. I am fully aware of the fact that the committee cannot force the insurers to attend, but their response to the invitation would speak volumes about their attitude to the public.