Seanad report:Was it any wonder that the public perception of Seanad Éireann was very low when members were treated with disdain and contempt by a minister, Marc MacSharry (FF) asked.
Calling for an urgent debate on how the image of the House could be improved, he said it was very low in most people's minds in terms of the usefulness of the Seanad and the role it played.
He felt that it would at least have been good manners that Senators might have been consulted before they were to be consigned, it seemed, to Jurassic Park.
Mr MacSharry said he had had enough of the perception created by the media, that the Seanad was useless. He believed that if the public was made aware of the level of debate and the in-depth scrutiny of legislation by Senators, it would have a lot more confidence in the political system.
Cathaoirleach Pat Moylan said that the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges was awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the Office of Public Works of all options for the temporary relocation of the Seanad. Mr Moylan said the committee had met yesterday to consider the matter and had adjourned to allow the OPW to investigate all options.
Eoghan Harris (Ind) said the biggest danger facing the Seanad, like any political institution, was the danger of being too populist about its image.
"Just because a few populists in the press like to sneer and have a few jokes, let them at it."
Vincent Browne might be looking for a column, and he deserved it. "He is a national institution like we are. I am not recommending that he be abolished. He does his thing. We do our thing."
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The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform should move to criminalise the purchase of sex generally, Ronan Mullen (Ind) said.
Mr Mullen said he would be putting down amendments for the committee stage of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill, 2007, "dealing with the criminalisation of those who use and avail of trafficked persons and those who use and avail of the services of persons in prostitution generally".
The Bill passed the second stage.