Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

This is the first time I have participated in a second debate on Second Stage of a Bill. The Fine Gael Party and I object in the strongest possible terms to the way the Government is ordering the business of the House and bringing legislation before it.

The Minister says she appreciates the complexity of the legislation. This gives no recognition to the fact that advisers from her own Department and the Department Finance have drawn up this legislation on her behalf. It was presented to Deputy Shortall and me at 10 o'clock this morning. A briefing was offered yesterday but the amendments were not ready then. Had I taken up the offer of the briefing, which I could not because I was in my constituency, the measure would not have been ready for consideration. If Members are to do the job for which we are elected and paid, we must have an opportunity to consult and engage with people to gain their views on what we are doing and to get expert opinion on legislation.

This legislation is complex, both in what is put before us and in what is left out. I have not had sufficient opportunity to speak to experts in this area and to decide whether or not Fine Gael and I should be for or against the proposal. There is merit in some of what the Minister is suggesting and I have difficulty with other aspects of it. Opposition parties are being asked to vote on the proposals tonight. We will be condemned at some future date for refusing to co-operate with necessary legislation but we are not given time to make informed decisions. This is serious legislation with profound implications for workers and for those who are already retired. The implications are even more profound for those workers not covered by the measure. It should not be decided by gut instinct, but it will go through on a nod and a wink.

I did not know until I came to the House this afternoon that this Second Stage debate was to be held. My party Whip was informed of it only this afternoon. This is not the right way to do business and will not lead to good legislation.

I have lost count of the times I heard the Minister and her predecessors, Deputy Cullen and the late Deputy Séamus Brennan, promise a proper pensions policy. I have heard all three of them, in countless interviews on "Morning Ireland", saying it was on the way. We have had 12 years of Fianna Fáil led Government in which difficulties in our pensions structure have built up, although I accept that the difficulties have been more extreme in recent years. We have had 12 years of inaction in this regard. I attended the Minister's press conference when the Green Paper on pensions was published in October 2007. From what was said on that occasion, we expected to see progress. Today, we are told we will see progress shortly. How soon is shortly? When will we see an overall, comprehensive pensions policy? That is what people need.

Piecemeal action is the least effective way to do things. I accept the present urgency in dealing with the companies covered by this measure but it is a pity the Taoiseach did not answer the question posed to him today. Is there a specific problem which demands that this measure be rushed through tonight?

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