Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

The Tribunals of Inquiry Bill was published 12 months ago and it has been on the Order Paper since then but is now scheduled for next week. It will be difficult for the public to believe that this Bill, one of whose provisions gives the Government the power to shut down tribunals, should be fast-tracked from obscurity to become the priority Bill for next week. Will it not be seen as an attempt to intimidate the tribunals? Would it not be sensible for the orderly and proper business of the House to put it back so it would not be dealt with in an atmosphere where a succession of Ministers have been upset with tribunals?

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