Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

It was the courts that said regulation should not be used, particularly for serious issues. Government and the Legislature have responded to that.

I cannot accept the amendment. I believe we should proceed on the basis of what we are doing currently in all legislation. In the context of Dáil reform we may find a better way of looking at regulations. Regulations often deal with fairly unimportant issues and facilitate legislation which has already been put in place and which is operating. I would worry that waiting for regulations might impede the implementation of legislation which we have already passed.

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