Sir, - Amid the recriminations and trench warfare that characterise day to day proceedings in the Dail, it is refreshing to learn of a piece of Seanad national business constructively promoted by an independent Senator, endorsed by the leaders of both main parties and rapidly incorporated in a Bill by an enlightened Minister.
For those of your readers who may have missed the description of this event outlined in your Seanad Report of December 10th, the circumstances are worth revisiting in this season of goodwill. The legislation in question is the George Mitchell (Scholarship Fund) Bill, a laudable attempt to establish an Irish version of the Rhodes Scholarships which enable American students to attend Oxford University. This would have the effect of funding American postgraduates in Irish third-level institutions.
The only drawback was that the draft Bill referred to institutions south of the Border, an omission spotted by the independent Senator Feargal Quinn, who argued that a measure dedicated to George Mitchell's work for the whole island should surely include funded access to higher centres of learning North and South. This cogent point was supported vigorously by Fine Gael Seanad leader Maurice Manning and endorsed by the leader of the House, Senator Donie Cassidy. Micheal Martin, Minister for Education and Science, convinced the Government to amend the measure in accordance with Senator Quinn's argument and the report stage of the Bill was accordingly modified.
These happenings in the upper house provide some heartening aspects of Irish political life for a public made apathetic or cynical by the usual reported shenanigans. Primarily, they prove that the Seanad can apply a significant "touch on the tiller" in national affairs; also that an independent clear voice can be heard and receive attention, and the Government can recognise an omission and quickly amend it.
Finally, Sir, it demonstrated that an alert reporter such as your Mr Jimmy Walsh can recognise and concisely describe a meaningful political happening. Surely a good piece of work all round. - Yours, etc., Chris Shouldice
Ballycullen Road, Templeogue, Dublin 16.