Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I was in the chair for the better part of the debate and all the speakers who were offering had concluded their comments. Deputy Burton, who had proposed the amendment, had spoken for the third time and could not speak again. The Minister had concluded his contribution. At that point, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Deputy Brendan Howlin, arrived to replace me in the chair and immediately put the amendment but the entire debate had been concluded. There can be no further debate on the issue because the proposer of the amendment had spoken for the third time in her concluding remarks and the Minister had finalised it. We were at the point of the amendment being put. We cannot go back to an amendment that had been put to the House and approved.

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