Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I support Deputy Gerard Murphy. His amendment is an extension of what I was seeking to do through amendments Nos. 1 and 3 to make the legislation more understandable and accessible. It is important that the purpose of the legislation be clear and that it state categorically that it gives effect to provisions in Article 2 of the Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe's Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and also Articles 67 to 69 of the Schengen convention. I was going a step further by seeking to include the relevant sections in the legislation.

We should examine our consciences regarding these matters. It is not a question of sticking with tradition but of doing what is most beneficial to the ordinary citizen. We should erase from our minds our ideas on professionals and the norm in the past and think about what is useful and accessible to ordinary people in the legislation we pass in this House.

See this speech in context