Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I also oppose the taking of Report Stage because the context of the Bill has now entirely changed. The commission has reported and this item is on the Order Paper today because the Government was in such a hurry to get the electronic voting system in place for 11 June. It cannot now be used on 11 June and therefore the time of this House would be better spent debating Bills that are of importance to people such as Report Stage of the Residential Tenancies Bill, for which we have been waiting since last February and was shunted into a siding in order that the Minister could proceed with the electronic voting legislation.

In any event, the issues which now arise in regard to electronic voting cannot be addressed in the confines of a Report Stage debate. The issues reported on by the commission now need a proper Committee Stage-type debate. Therefore, the Labour Party opposes the taking of Report Stage.

See this speech in context