Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Not really. I agree with Deputy O'Callaghan that public consultation is crucial. I have always believed in it. Unquestionably, it makes things better when the public is consulted, even in the case of small schemes like schemes for ramps on roads, for argument's sake. In our own area, draft proposals for road ramps are put on display for public consultation, and rightly so. The public's submissions are assessed and then the proposals go out again. With any of our proposals, such as our development plan, I really do not regard this as an issue.

On traditional holiday periods, which I have already covered, I refer the Deputies to page 557, section 370, on the running of time. It might be helpful. Section 370(1) refers to the Christmas period, and subsections (2) and (3) are also relevant. The Deputies have got to remember that the provision we are considering, related to the Deputies' amendment concerning page 59 of the Bill, is a catch-all and needs to be.

It provides that flexibility as we have already discussed.