Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I served on the previous Committee on Public Petitions with Deputy Buckley and it is seldom we disagree, but this is not about who is in charge of what along the River Shannon. It is about an individual case.

The committee has already heard a presentation from individuals and we were shown maps. This is really dangerous territory. Whatever is agreed, that is fine, but if we do not get a resolution, I will be proposing that we suspend debate on this to another day until we get legal advice. The Chairman will offer his point of view, but we have to take into account what Deputy Higgins said. At the beginning of every meeting of this committee the Chairman or whoever is in the Chair reads a long spiel about what members should and should not do. That is made quite clear to us. We have to take all of that into account.

Mr. Kehoe is a very reputable man, which I know because I do not live too far from Westmeath. However, on the basis of what I have heard from Mr. Kehoe, I am not happy to proceed to an open public debate on the issue at this time.