In Britain in the 1830s the great reform act was passed. I think it was eventually passed in 1832, if my memory serves me. The debate lasted a very long time. The reform act had two purposes at that time. One was to widen the franchise because very few people had the right to vote in the United Kingdom, which included Ireland. Some of the people who fought the most to ensure both features were included in the legislation, widening the franchise and giving salaries to MPs, were the people of Ireland.
It was their feeling that if a person came from a disadvantaged group the chances of their kind being represented in Parliament were nil. Daniel O'Connell was elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. He was known as the liberator. The liberator was elected to Parliament but he came from a very wealthy family.
In spite of the fact that he was elected, I believe, in 1829 it took a number of years before others could get elected because there were no salaries for MPs. If they were fortunate enough to sit on the government side they had the government benefits at the time. They had what they called offices; they served in various functions. If they did not receive government benefits, as the minority Catholic members obviously would not have, they received no salary for being an MP. That was seen as being the biggest disadvantage for people seeking public office.
Widening the franchise enabled everyone to vote and made it possible for people to seek public office because they had a salary by which to transport themselves to Parliament. Those were seen as the two important things. That is the history of that Parliament. Our lot is not the same and I will not say it is.
I would like to close by saying what I said initially. I was able to run for election to be an MP notwithstanding that I started from the lowest rung of the ladder. If I had been rich I could have run notwithstanding anything else. I was not and I am still not rich but I was able to run notwithstanding. I am today a member of Parliament in the highest court of the land representing my constituents.
Because there is a salary and benefits it makes it possible for not only wealthy middle aged men to run, but for young people, people from disadvantaged groups, and all others to come here. Parliament, if it is a democracy, should be a microcosm of those we claim to represent. Rich people should have a right to run, poor people should have a right to run, men and women, all equally. In our efforts to make things better let us ensure we are making them better, not worse. That is the point I wish to make.