Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Colreavy fairly said that it was his first experience of enacting legislation on Committee Stage.

It is not a decision for the Chairman or for me but is the advice from the Bills Office that the Deputy's amendments run exactly counter to the purpose of the Bill. In such circumstances - I spent a long time on that side of the room with Deputy Naughten and he will bear this out - the alternative is to oppose the section because, for the reasons the Chairman has read out, the amendment is not consistent with how members normally process legislation. However, the Deputy is perfectly free to oppose the section. If I can be helpful in dealing with some of Deputy Colreavy's points, that is a matter for the Chairman. I am willing to help, if I can.