Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be as brief as possible. I thank Mr. Cullen and Mr. Brereton for being here. I read their opening statement last night but unfortunately the booklet was not attached and, therefore, I did not get a chance to go in depth through it but I will. I listened to their testimony this morning. The legislation is where it is at. I think they were watching the debate on the Bill in the Seanad. They will know I was chairing that debate when Senator Craughwell made his suggestion and we managed to process it as satisfactorily as we could. There is not a way to go backwards in the legislative process. The law does not allow that. However, there are measures whereby the Seanad can take further amendments to the legislation and take on board what the witnesses suggested, ideally with ministerial and departmental agreement because it would make it easier that way. Equally, if the legislation goes through the Seanad, I would point out that once an amendment to legislation is accepted in the Seanad, the Bill goes back to the Dáil and there is a further opportunity in the Dáil to make amendments. We should not rush through this legislation. I am taken by the fact, and it is very unusual, that rarely do the regulated look for higher standards than the regulator. That appears to be what the witnesses are asking for. They are looking for a higher threshold and a higher level of safety.