Mullen calls for party 'independence of mind' in Seanad

SEANAD:POLITICAL PARTIES in the Seanad should exercise independence of the Government in scrutinising legislation, Rónán Mullen (Independent) has said.

Mr Mullen said the only basis on which the Seanad could be retained would be on the basis of Senators exercising “independence of mind and approach”.

He would not join in with other Senators in congratulating leader of the house Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) on his performance on Morning Irelandyesterday when he defended the Seanad against those who would have it abolished.

Mr Mullen said Mr Cummins could not answer as to where he believed the Taoiseach was wrong.

Independent Senators had given leadership but the parties too should follow by showing themselves to be “independent-minded and effective scrutineers of legislation”, he maintained.

In response to Senators’ concerns, Mr Cummins said they could only deal with legislation as it came before them. He expected the House to sit for three to four days for the rest of the term. He had also asked more Ministers to initiate Bills in the Seanad and “I hope that will be the case”.

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fáil) said the house was sitting longer but it was “quantity rather than quality” and there appeared to be a lack of meaningful legislation brought in front of it.

John Whelan (Labour) suggested it was difficult for the Seanad to function if it was not receiving legislation while at the end of term legislation was being “rammed through and dumped in on top of us at the last minute”.

Fiach Mac Conghail (Independent) suggested that time be given for Senators to discuss the future of the Seanad and it put in on the record as to how it could be reformed. "All we can do at the moment is change the deckchairs around the Titanic," he said.

David Norris (Independent) said the Seanad had achieved a lot. He listed Senator Feargal Quinn’s Bill on the construction industry, the role of the house in the Civil Partnership Bill and the inclusion of scrutiny by the Oireachtas in the original Nama legislation. “We should admit our limitations, but within those limitations, we made significant achievements.”

Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) praised Mr Cummins's performance on Morning Irelandand accused the presenter of "barracking" him. He said Ministers had often been persuaded to make amendments by the arguments in the Seanad rather than in the Dáil.

During a debate about the Education (Amendment) Bill 2012, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said the Teaching Council would have the power to fire bad teachers. Mr Quinn said many “right-wing and other commentators” had remarked that you cannot get rid of bad teachers.

It was a “frequent sort of drawing room/dining room dinner party topic of conversation by people who have had little or no contact with the schools in modern or in recent times”.

Mr Quinn said teachers were the best to regulate their own affairs as the legal and medical professions were doing. If they imposed the ultimate sanction, “it will send a signal as it is intended to do”.