June 23rd

Perhaps Irish funerals are unique in the way that you can come away with a sense of fulfilment that ‘that was a lovely ceremony’. Brian Lenihan’s funeral last Tuesday was such an occasion. Political tools were downed and we were united in a sense of loss for a man who gave it his all in the face of personal adversity.
Meeting with colleagues from the former Government benches, it was a gentle reminder that one is only ever elected for a term at a time and we must use it wisely and with purpose. On the countdown to the Government’s first 100 days, it was a salutary cue that there can be no resting on laurels, and while the Irish people breathed a collective sigh of relief at a welcome change of government, the realities of day-to-day living for families and governing for government members is a constant battle.
On Wednesday, Senator Katherine Zappone – one of the Taoiseach’s Eleven nominees – proposed a motion on Seanad Reform that the House be the listening ear to Community experiences and that we “push out the boundaries of how we can practice democracy’.All of us recognize the need for a more responsive and democratic chamber. My favourite line, though, came from Senator McAleese when he said he didn’t feel as a member of Seanad Eireann that he was on ‘death row’. Neither do I.  There is much to be done and much we can do with the right will and leadership. For my own part, I believe that we need to redefine the role of the Senate as our women presidents redefined the Irish presidency to make it visibly relevant and accountable to the Irish people.
Such an expanded role could include duties that I campaigned on during the recent Senate elections for example:

• Scrutinizing European legislation and directives, documents whose blanket implementation without adequate scrutiny have an enormous effect on Irish people’s lives. Look at the furore over the bogs, the SACs in places like Conamara and the challenging realities of living with over-zealous acceptance of directives;
• what about the concerns of the Diaspora, our emigrants and the contribution they can make to rebuilding Ireland and have done for successive generations? the potential role of Seanad Eireann in North-South relations, peace-making, made all the more real by the presence of Dr. Martin McAleese.
• what about the need for oversight on the myth of ‘balanced regional development on the island of Ireland’. As it stands more than a quarter of the population of our country is centered in the greater Dublin area. With that goes the resources and the opportunities and the attendant problems created by such an imbalance. Where is the East-West balance in such a scenario?
• And my own bug-bear; that the Senate must be a House whereby we can call in expertise such as entrepreneurs, job creators, linguists etc., people who may never choose to be politicians. If we are to govern effectively we need to learn how it’s done so we can shape policy.

Wednesday saw the Finance Bill in the House. The banks and I had a run in the same day. That a high-tech Galway company currently employing 50 people had the offer of a contract of €4.5 million new orders, and to create 8 new jobs but was being frustrated in their application for a bank loan infuriated me. We own the banks! We gave them the lifesaving injection of billions so that credit would flow, And what do we get?  No to credit, or even worse, being strung out with as the company said ‘a slow no’. Its not happening fast enough. I’m not letting this case go, because I know this is a common story all over the country.  I raised the issue in the Senate under privilege, drawing attention to the fact that the ‘unpatriotic’ actions of our two pillar banks – were akin to ‘national sabotage’. I then took it up the line.

Responding to the words of Enda himself: ‘Call me directly. Tell me where the blockages are in the system.” After talking with An Taoiseach, with AIB Senior Management and with the Credit Review Office, I am hopeful of a successful outcome. But the question needs to be asked can business survive if there needs to be Seanad intervention everytime a company needs a bank loan!

And for a dash of colour you can always rely on Senator Norris. Bloomsday was his perfect platform, as synonymous with Norris as Clarinbridge with oysters. With much gusto and aplomb, Senator Norris drew attention to marketing the best we have: “I will be asking the Minister for Transport and Tourism later for his support for the renaming of Terminal 2 as the James Joyce International Airport, Dublin. Anyone up for renaming Galway airport as the Nora Barnacle Regional Airport? Another angle for attracting a foreign investor perhaps . . .

Banking responsibility, community involvement, democratic accountability and the need to work with our unique cultural identity characterized the week for me. And through it all, weaved continuous stories, successes and travails of Galway constituents. Fittingly, the week put in context – as the sun beat down on the crowd at Brian Lenihan’s funeral – the importance of the human touch.
Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, Ph.D., is Seanad Spokesperson on Social Protection and newly appointed member of European Affairs committee