Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My point was that any vendor in that country can be deemed to be a high-risk vendor. The vendor does not necessarily have to pose any particular risk to the security of this State. The Minister of State moved from risk to the security of the State to shoddy components very quickly. That would indicate that this Bill is very broad in its scope and has significant capability to impact upon competition. We have built a success story internationally around being a place with fair competition, access to the courts and, above all else, transparency. My central concern for this is the lack of transparency. The lack of transparency by which these amendments were introduced to this House has not really helped to instill any confidence in me in how it will be operated.

The Minister of State was invited by the Chair to point out why there is a particular urgency to ban some manufacturers and he could not do that. Why is it being introduced in this measure? The whole lack of transparency concerns me, including the way this House is being acquainted with this Bill and particularly the impact it will have on our justice system if it becomes law. It contains many very novel propositions. As far as I can see, they are extremely novel in how we deal with competition between competing entities in Ireland and the extent to which we provide a transparent and level playing field, which is what attracts an awful lot of investment into the State. I have many worries about this Bill, to be frank.