Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

The Bills Office does a great job considering the pressure it is put under. It is absolutely unfair to put it under the pressure the Minister has applied this week. It is part of the unseemly rush to get the Bill on to the Statute Book without appropriate deliberation.

With regard to the amendment, for once I agree with the Minister that there is inadequate scrutiny by the House of secondary legislation and we should consider better ways to achieve that. The only progress in this regard has been made by the scrutiny sub-committee of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs, which is effective. I made a proposal to the Minister, with which I understood he was in agreement, that an Oireachtas security committee should be established. If such a committee were established, secondary legislation in this area could be scrutinised.

I am glad the Minister agrees with the proposal but I sought its implementation. It must be set up by the House but that will involve the Minister making a proposal to set it up or bringing a memorandum to Government. Even though we may agree on the proposal, it will not happen unless the Government causes it to happen. I would be glad if the Minister would confirm he is making arrangements accordingly.

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