It was absolutely amazing that there was talk of a TD being suspended from the Dail for only 15 days for something which undermined the whole process of the democratic system, said Mr Joe O'Toole (Ind). A senator could be suspended for three days for a minor infringement of the rules of order.
Mr O'Toole and two independent colleagues, Dr Mary Henry and Mr Feargal Quinn, later tabled a motion asking the House to determine that any member found, after due process, to have accepted bribes or to be corrupt, be suspended indefinitely from the House and disqualified from being a member.
The motion also directs that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, "in consultation with appropriate legal advisers, develop a protocol for the safe implementation of such determination".
Earlier, in a call for a debate on the question of bribery and corruption, Mr O'Toole said there seemed to be little regard for due process and it appeared that people were being found guilty through rumour and innuendo.
Mr Joe Costello (Labour) said bribery and corruption appeared to be endemic in certain quarters of the planning process in our local authorities, and it might be even more widespread.
They must be seen, as a House of the Oireachtas, to be discussing what was being discussed in every corner of the country.
Mr Quinn said if the House was going to be meaningful to the nation it must debate the issue now.
Some people maintained that the outcome of the Flood tribunal should be awaited but he had read that the tribunal might sit for another two years. He cautioned against naming names until "after due process".