Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know I am coming to the end of it. This will be my final intervention. Should it transpire that there is an imminent surge as we progress over the next two or three months, are we to say that we will debate this for a month or whatever the case may be, which could be seen by some people as a delaying tactic, or do we do something about it and leave the regulations?

Incidentally, I should mention that I was Ireland's representative at the European Convention on Human Rights and worked on the drafting of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. I have, therefore, discussed this type of issue previously. I do not want people to think - we have sometimes referred to it - of Fine Gael as being a right-wing party and so forth. I am coming at it from a different perspective altogether.