Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I wish to highlight another aspect of the Tánaiste's proposition this morning. Three of the matters to be decided upon without debate are back from committee. These are No. 11, motion re section 12 of the Employment Equality Act 1998; No. 12, motion re the Risk Equalisation (Amendment) Scheme 2008; and No. 13, motion re the Planning and Development Regulations 2008, as referred to by Deputy Burton.

The critical point is that a request is being put to us to endorse these proposals without debate and with only the simple notation "back from committee". There is no briefing note or even a short memo to tell us how these matters were addressed in committee. While committee meetings are open to all members, it is not physically possible to attend them all. I am sure this is a difficulty not confined to parties of small numbers such as Sinn Féin. Few Members will have any idea of the detail of how these matters were addressed in committee, whether they were discussed or merely noted on the nod. We do not know whether opposition was expressed to the proposals and whether divisions were called. This is bad practice.

Matters coming back from committee and before the House for approval without debate should include an appended notation from the relevant secretariat indicating exactly what happened at committee. It is too late for this raft of proposals but I hope the Tánaiste, Chief Whip and others will accept the common sense of my suggestion and that it is in all our interests to do our business properly. I strongly urge that the practice I have proposed becomes the norm into the future.

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