Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I support the amendment, although I would prefer if we never had to deal with this issue. The primary approach should be to confirm in the Oireachtas any legislation retrospectively validated by the Bill.

Last week I put a series of questions to Ministers and received varying answers. My intention was to receive a list of legislation and statutory instruments in order to bring forward an amendment which would set out in a Schedule the laws and statutory instruments affected by the Bill. Deputy Costello's amendment would ensure regulations would have to be endorsed within three months. The Ministers for Defence, Social and Family Affairs, Education and Science, Foreign Affairs, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Arts, Sport and Tourism replied that no such instruments pertained to their Departments. The latter two qualified this by stating their Departments have only existed in their current form since 2002 and, therefore, other legislation may have been enacted in the past. The remaining eight Ministers were unable to supply a list of the laws and statutory instruments within the time available. That period is dictated by the Government, not me, and the Government has guillotined this legislation at every turn. That is a living disgrace and it is the reason people are suspicious of the EU and this House. This is the most undemocratic legislation that has been introduced since my election to the House. It is an insult to those who take the time to elect us on the basis that we pass legislation——

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