Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

No. This is a proposal on an agreement between the EU and Australia on the storage of passenger information. Opposition Whips were informed at 6.30 p.m. yesterday that important business would need to be taken today immediately after statements on the EU summit. A briefing document outlining the background was later circulated.

While we are not opposed in principle to the proposed agreement, we have not been able to research and examine its terms in the time available. I strongly oppose the way in which the Dáil is being asked to handle this business. It is not acceptable that Whips and spokespersons should be given little more than 12 hours notification. Unfortunately, it is not the first instance of such an occurrence. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is one of the worst offenders in this regard. The Labour Party will no longer accept a situation in which a parliamentary gun is put to its head and we are told we must agree to something like this without proper notice.

I listened to the Taoiseach's comments on making EU matters more relevant and further involving the House in EU relations, but this approach suggests that nothing has been learned from the referendum of two weeks ago. This type of approach has caused concern among the public as to whether the Dáil's role in these matters is being reduced to that of a rubber stamp. Labour Party Deputies are not prepared to agree to something of which we were notified at 6.30 p.m. yesterday and in respect of which we have not had time to consider and seek opinions and advice, but that is expected to be passed by the House in less than one hour.

This is a sensitive issue for the public. There is an understanding among the public of what must be done to ensure safety against terrorism while travelling and so on, but people are sensitive when it comes to their personal data being handed from one state to another and subsequently being stored. It is not acceptable that such a sensitive issue should be rushed through the House shortly after its notification. The Labour Party will not agree the proposal before the House.

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