Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I had to leave the Chamber briefly during the course of this debate, but I was able to follow the debate on the monitor while I was dealing with some urgent issues while wearing my hat as Minister for Defence.

As someone who was first elected to this House in 1981 and as one who fought to ensure that Members on all sides of the House could perform a legislative function in their own right and not just be lobby fodder for their parties - in or out of Government - I welcome the fact we now have the opportunity on these Friday sessions to give Members additional time for processing Private Members' Bills. This is an important opportunity for Members who are only just coming to terms with how we progress matters. In so far as I, as Minister for Justice and Equality or Minister for Defence, can assist a Deputy, be he or she on the Government or Opposition side, in effecting a Bill to bring before the House, I will be happy to do so. Obviously, both of my Departments have their own pressures with regard to bringing forward legislation. We have a huge agenda of proposed legislation in the Department of Justice and Equality and we also have an agenda of legislation in the Department of Defence and officials in both Departments are under substantial pressure. Nevertheless, I have no difficulty, if a Member has prepared the heads of a Bill or a draft Bill, in having an informal meeting with the Member to discuss it.

These Friday arrangements are serious arrangements on the part of the Government and are part of the programme for Oireachtas reform. As the Ceann Comhairle said, there have been contributions from 18 Members from all sides of the House to the debate on an issue that is of great importance to all of us. I set out in my speech the many difficulties that arise with a particular proposal contained in Deputy Donnelly's Bill. He has, nevertheless, acted as a catalyst to a very helpful and useful debate, which I know will broaden out during consideration by the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality of the heads of the personal insolvency Bill and will, when after April we have published the Bill in its legislative form, contribute to the debate in this House on Second Stage.

I thank Deputy Donnelly for his initiative. Had he considered discussing this in advance with me, I might have been able to help him with it. I know it was a well-intended initiative, albeit unworkable.

I want to say something about today. I have curiously followed some commentary made by different people. Deputy Kelleher of Fianna Fáil said on the airwaves this morning that this was all a sham and was not serious, but he assured the nation that he was going to be present in the House for this important debate. Deputy Calleary is here, but he is the only representative of Fianna Fáil. If Deputy Kelleher-----

See this speech in context