Order of Business - 12th November 2009

Order of Business – 12th November 2009
Senator David Norris: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business as announced by the Leader, that No. 1 be taken with debate. Nothing could better illustrate the need for Seanad reform that this farce of an election. The people ought to know that the entire electorate for this importance vacancy consists of 226 persons. The councillors are not even involved in this election. It is ludicrous. Let us have a debate on it.
I am involved in the committee under the Minister, Deputy Gormley, and it is perfectly clear that what they are targeting is the university seats. The people should know that in the Trinity constituency there are 55,000 electors, in the NUI constituency there are over 100,000. Those are real constituencies.
Let us have Senate reform. Let us not be hypocritical about it. That is a rotten borough and there is no doubt whatever about it. The proof of the pudding is the newspapers are full of who will get it. It all has been rigged by the Government. It is a real reproach to democracy.
I welcome the release of that remarkable man, Fr. Sinnott, but let us not be hypocritical. From the Government benches, my good friend and colleague, Senator Ó Murchú, said something very important. He stated that kidnapping is about the worst human crime and a travesty of all decency. I would like to tell the House this. There is a Nigerian man whose wife was murder, whose two children were kidnapped and murdered, and who himself has been threatened with kidnap by the gang involved, and he will be deported back to Nigeria on Saturday next, 14 November. Let every Member of this House who has spoken about Fr. Sinnott and stated that this business of kidnapping is appalling, write this day to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to ask that this deportation order be rescinded and the case be reopened and looked at. This man has the support of his community, of his parish, of everybody who knows him. He is a decent man who, this minute, is living in terror of his life that the will be sent back to Nigeria, kidnapped and murdered.