Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator Craughwell's excellent proposal. This is very bad parliamentary practice. I remember meeting other group leaders when I was a representative of the independent university panel and a general rule was that we did not take Committee Stage and Report Stage on the same day, other than in the most exceptional of situations. The reason for that is to give the Government time to consider the amendments that have been put down on Committee Stage and any issues arising from them. I would hate to think it is so much of a done deal that the Government, recognising that there will be no meeting of minds, rushes the whole thing through today. It is extremely bad parliamentary practice and reflects contempt for Oireachtas procedures.

I ask the Leader to accede to our request to take Committee Stage today but Report Stage on another day. This is, to some extent, against my own interests because I have a work agenda next week but it is bad parliamentary practice. Amendments have been tabled on Committee Stage and they should be thoroughly considered which means we cannot take Committee Stage and Report Stage on the same day.

Senator Byrne is absolutely right about the undergrounding of lines. The establishment has shown contempt for ordinary people in this matter. The well-organised protests about overhead lines and the erection of pylons have forced the limited rethink we have seen but much more needs to be done and I support Senator Byrne in this regard.