Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let us have it transparently. I want to support the changes. However, I do not want any allegations of not giving proper time. I sat in the Minister of State's seat not long ago with a water Bill. I argued for certain things to happen that never did. That very debate is probably one reason I am sitting here and not where the Minister of State is.

We need transparency and accountability; this Government has nothing to hide. These are very important changes that we need to discuss openly and properly. Ideally it would have been discussed on Second Stage but as that was not possible, let us have it on Committee Stage.