Norris questions Trinity invitation

SEANAD REPORT:A LETTER he had received from Trinity College's department of political science purporting to invite him to a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution revealed that its professors knew sweet damn all about practical politics, Trinity member David Norrissaid.

He told the House he was withdrawing his congratulations to the college for hosting the forthcoming meeting of the committee, and he did not intend to be present.

Mr Norris said the letter had stated that the proceedings would be put on the Dáil record, even though, as those of a joint Oireachtas committee, they would be put on the official report of the Oireachtas. “Trinity College should know they will most definitely not be on the Dáil record because its graduates send three representatives to this House, although the department of politics appears to be blissfully unaware of this fact. The letter also makes a puff about the wonderful contributions the department’s professors make to this, that and the other.”

Challenged by Cathaoirleach Pat Moylanas to whether his observations were relevant to the ordering of the House's business, Mr Norris responded: "I am making an important point about the insulting way in which the Seanad is being treated. I have never seen a professorial snout in the Seanad."

Jerry Buttimer(FG): "What about Senator Bacik?"

Ivana Bacik(Lab): "Do I have a professorial snout?"

Mr Norris: “ I beg the Senator’s pardon. She is not a member of the department of politics.”

Cathaoirleach: “That is not respectful to any person.”

Ms Bacik: “Even the possessor of a professorial snout.”

Mr Norris said the professors had informed him about who would be on the platform. They had no right to do so and they did not understand the Constitution or standing orders. Every member of the Oireachtas had a right to sit in and contribute to any joint committee. He had discussed this matter with the chairman of the committee, Deputy Seán Ardagh, who shared his feelings about it.

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Much of unco-ordinated response to the humanitarian disaster in Haiti could have been avoided if a report he had compiled for the Council of Europe in 2007 had been heeded, Paschal Mooney(FF) said.

Speaking in the debate on a Fianna Fáil motion that the Seanad support the Government in its efforts to assist the Haitian people, he said his report had concluded that the main problem regarding Europe’s role in improving the international co-ordination framework for humanitarian assistance was political. “If a united co-ordination platform is to be achieved, member states need to decide which of their interested national ministries should play the central role in co-ordinating humanitarian aid within the various European and international humanitarian assistance and civil protection mechanisms.

“Crucial in achieving this aim is designating a national focal point to co-ordinate national responses to international humanitarian crises and emergencies.”

He said the response to the Haiti disaster could have been better co-ordinated if this recommendation had been heeded.