Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

It is somewhat surreal that the House is being asked to debate Report Stage of a Bill which no longer has any meaning. It certainly has no sense of urgency given that the purpose for which it was introduced on a very rushed basis through Second Stage, Committee Stage and the proposed Report Stage no longer exists. The report of the independent commission gives a reason that this Bill should be agreed in some element by this House eventually, but it is not required now, namely, that the commission desires to be placed on a statutory basis, about which no one in this House would argue.

During the course of this Bill, the Minister has displayed behaviour which indicates he is guilty of either gross arrogance or technological illiteracy. Given his stance on other issues — I cited the example of incineration — he is more guilty of the latter. It is only a matter of weeks since a vote of no confidence in the Minister was tabled in this House. He managed to get the support of those who sit figuratively and metaphorically behind him in the House. However, if that same vote were put today would the Minister have the same confidence of this House? On those grounds we should not proceed with this farce of a debate.

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