During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: News emerged last night of how it may be necessary to vacate a large number of homes in the Dublin docklands area or how their owners may be obliged to pay a large sum of money because they were built, I think in 2006, but now turn out to be a fire hazard. The cost to the individuals living in those homes will be approximately €20,000 each and they simply cannot afford to pay this. The reason I raise this matter is that this is not the first time this has happened...

During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: Senator Cáit Keane referred to the Garda using technology to check car tax, insurance and licences. I am not sure it is the job of the Garda to check tax and insurance. Modern technology enables us to do that in a much more efficient way. I saw a huge traffic jam recently where gardaí had stopped traffic on the north side of the city. It must have gone back 2 km or 3 km while they checked insurance and the tax discs. That can be done readily nowadays, and it is being done, with a smartphone. We should investigate the possibility of doing something like that because there is little doubt that it does not make sense for the Garda to be doing it...

During the Order of Business in the Seanad, I said: The legislative programme published yesterday does not include Seanad reform, yet Senators Crown and Zappone and I have put down amendments, motions and Bills on this matter. The Leader organised a debate on the report of the working group on Seanad reform in May with former Senators Maurice Manning and Joe O'Toole. It gave great attention to the matter and we got significant promises but where has it turned up? Seanad reform is not even included in the list for planned legislation in the coming session...

During the second stage Seanad debate on the Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014, I said:  The Minister of State is very welcome to the House and I am glad to have him here again. I always get concerned when I hear about an item of legislation that we want to rush through and particularly rush through in such a short period of time. I get embarrassed when I hear that but I also get frustrated when I see something taking a long time to get done. I was delighted to hear the Minister of State say "let us get this done and let us get it though because it is urgent"...