Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I am trying to produce a Bill that will get maximum support. I have to placate Deputy McCormack on the one hand and Deputy Joe Higgins on the other. I am trying to drive a middle road to accommodate the consensus opinion in this House.

I want to finish on this point. It is reasonable to try to achieve consensus. I have done it. It is reasonable to try to achieve as good a Bill as I can in very short order. I would much prefer to have had another fortnight.

One Deputy stated we were proposing to go on holiday next week. I was proposing to spend next week attending the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights dealing with the Criminal Justice Bill. That is what I wanted to do next week when the House was not sitting. It is not a question of me being lazy. I wanted time, if I could have it, to come up with as good a Bill as I possibly could. I think I have done as good a job as I possibly can.

I have been as reasonable as any Minister, confronted with a demand that he should legislate within hours rather than days, could be in all of these circumstances.

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