Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I accept that. On the Chairman's point that this is supposed to be a collective process and that we are supposed to be advancing the debate, the answers are particularly relevant in the context of what staff do. Nobody has stated he or she agrees with Fingal County Council, except the Minister. Fianna Fáil has tried to do a bit of both. In fairness, in his amendment Deputy Troy did take out the reference to the chief executive officer and would give the director of the new unit full authority to deal with the competent authority on these issues. I accept the point that he has altered the amendment in that the level of subservience to the CEO has been addressed by him, but I put it to him that it is still not enough. Critically it is not enough in the sense that the level of technical expertise required to maintain such a unit would not fit with it. In the light of what the Minister said, I appeal to Fianna Fáil to re-examine its amendment and for us collectively to come back to the issue on Report Stage. I take the Minister's point that there are alternatives being proposed, but the best way forward is to agree on one and submit it on Report Stage.