Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The Tánaiste has clarified absolutely nothing. She has passed on all kinds of legal advice to the House, but she has not given Deputies any opportunity to read the advice, or get opinions on whether the Tánaiste's proposal is justifiable. I have great respect for Professor Hall and I know his opinions are worth considering. I do not think it is appropriate, however, for the professor's opinion to be waved in front of Deputies, or for us to be expected to believe it, like dumb country boys. The least the Tánaiste can do is make this evidence available to Deputies so we can read it and form a considered opinion on it.

The manner in which the Tánaiste is treating the victims of this State scandal is absolutely disgusting and disgraceful. Given that she was a Member of this House in the 1990s, when much of this debate started, she should be well aware of their feelings. The Tánaiste knows this is no way to deal with this issue. She hopes we will all disappear out of here at teatime and that this issue will disappear with us. I think she knows she is wrong. She should suspend what she is doing right now. Report Stage should be postponed until after the weekend to give Members an opportunity to examine the evidence she is using to justify her actions. I do not care whether that evidence comes from Professor Hall, the Department of Finance, the Office of the Attorney General or the Department of Health and Children. The least the Tánaiste should do is try to convince the Members of this House, who represent the people whose concerns about this issue she will not address, that the course of action she is taking is the right one.

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