Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I always welcome the Senator's contributions. It has been a long time since we have debated legislation in the Seanad but I enjoyed it when we did. It is hard to keep up with the number of issues raised sometimes, so my apologies if I missed them.

On this treaty being scrutinised, it was the Government that agreed that the treaty should receive more scrutiny. It was a proposal from the Green Party, which the Government accepted, that it be referred to committees. When it comes to a vote, as it will and should, it will be one of the most scrutinised and debated treaties Ireland has been asked to ratify. That is good but I hope when it comes to a vote, people will allow the vote to happen and will not try to disrupt it through further procedural tactics at that point. I understand that SMEs have access to the investor court system and can look for a single-member arbitration panel. That is supposed to be designed to assist them.