Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

After almost two hours, I am entitled to respond to the amendment before us. I could respond to many things that are not in the amendment, but I will respond to the amendment first.

The reason we are here with this Bill is to comply with a European Court of Justice ruling against Ireland which was lost in October 2009. My predecessors in government failed to win a case in the European Court of Justice and it had legal and other advice available to it.

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