Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

I feel increasingly desperate about the lack of information being provided to the House. As the national Parliament, Members are being asked to make decisions of enormous consequence for everybody in the country, but we are doing it on the basis of having blindfolds over our eyes and not having the kind of information necessary to make decisions.

Here again we have a situation where all amendments and discussion end at 10 p.m., approximately 15 minutes from now. This is a different way of doing business from what we have been used to. Finance Bills were always teased out over several days in Committee, either in Committee in the House or in a select committee. However, we are now presented with a series of proposals, without the back-up information which informs Deputies when making decisions. Is it any wonder then the Minister does not get the co-operation of the Opposition? He leaves us with no choice but to oppose him on the votes. On several occasions, I have heard the Taoiseach complain that he cannot get the co-operation of the Opposition. How can the Government get the Opposition's co-operation when information is not provided to Parliament and we are asked night after night to vote for a pig in a poke?

I do not know when the Minister will bring the NAMA legislation before the House. I presume the Government intention to return in early September is connected to the legislation and that we will probably deal with it in the second or third week of September. This is just another example of the House being asked to make decisions of the utmost importance, which will affect this and the next generation, without adequate information.

I appeal to the Minister at least to publish the Bacon report. Even if he must exclude sensitive economic or business information, he should publish the rest of the report.

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