Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

It inadequately and inaccurately reflects the position of the Government on a number of important issues and it inadequately reflects what is in the draft directive. That is the reason I tabled the Government amendment. I regret it has been so difficult to have a reasoned and rational discussion around the services directive. There are some legitimate concerns to be raised about it. Using language such as the Frankenstein directive to describe it and trying to play on people's fears and emotions by attributing doomsday implications to it, or ascribing to it provisions which are manifestly inaccurate, does not promote real debate.

I challenge anyone in the House to demonstrate, for example, that the services directive, if implemented, would legitimise what occurred in the Gama episode or that it would lead to a replication of the Irish Ferries case, which is unique because of the particular international regulatory regime which applies to maritime commerce. These events happened without a services directive. Lets get real.

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