When I came to this House in 2014, I had a steep learning curve.

Is the Senator gone off it now?

Certainly not.

I thought Senator Craughwell was looking for nominations for the councils.

Good people like the Leas-Chathaoirleach steered me in the right direction. I was rather shocked to hear this morning's discussion about speaking time, membership groups and so on. One learns very quickly in this House to be a member of a group or to sit in the gods up there.

The Senator can imagine how the Chair felt. That is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, as I have said ad nauseam.

Of course it is. I really respect the Leas-Chathaoirleach's ruling on this because he has always acted based on the rules of the House and allowed those of us who are Independent in groups to be treated as group members similar to our colleagues in political parties, whom I deeply respect. I also respect my colleagues who are Independents and have decided not to join a group for technical purposes.

Independent Independents.

I recognise their right to remain outside a group but, alas and alack, when we make a decision, we must live by the rules.

The Senator sounds like the badger in The Wind in the Willows.

I have sat here on one occasion for two and a half hours of a debate and, as I got to my feet, I was told, "Sorry, Senator, we are out of time". Such is the price one pays for being an Independent without the support of colleagues. We in the Independent Group are truly independent. We do not really have a Whip and we never agree on anything.

He does; he pays a Whip.

It is purely a technical issue.

What is he talking about?