Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I support the amendment proposed by the leader of Fine Gael. It is a modest request having regard to the enormity of the contents of the Moriarty report before the Dáil. It is unconscionable to allocate approximately ten minutes per year of inquiry to discussion of the report. The Moriarty tribunal has continued for more than nine years and it is proposed that we allocate 90 minutes to it. This is inadequate to draw the lessons that need to be drawn from the report.

I do not see the leader of the Progressive Democrats included in the list of speakers. Is this a precedent for the future? I do not object to this. The former leader of the Progressive Democrats, Dessie O'Malley will be uncomfortable that the present leader has agreed with the leader of Fianna Fáil to guillotine this debate at 90 minutes. If Mr. O'Malley were in the House he would need the full 90 minutes. The fact that Deputy McDowell is assenting to this kind of truncated debate on the profound issues raised by the Moriarty report shows that the Rottweiler has become a lap-dog. It appears that he will not be present in the House to express his views on these issues.

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