Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Government has made a mistake in not allowing an hour's debate on the matter this evening. Having deliberately suppressed the matter until today, we are now asked to give full sanction to the committee. Before we decide on whether to vote on the proposal, I ask the Minister for Finance to guarantee that the committee will be properly resourced in terms of back-up staff, in view of the outrage felt by the community at large by the constitutional crisis that was caused. What facilities will be available to the committee? Why were the negotiations concluded by the Minister of State with responsibility for children instead of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform?

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