Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The case for these amendments has been well made. It is very reasonable and I see no reason it should be resisted. What is proposed in these amendments is somewhat nuanced and different from the annual review promised by the Minister. We have put through much legislation in this area in recent years, a good deal of it under the chairmanship of the Acting Chairman. It would be interesting to have time to review its performance and to discover how frequently resort has been had to new measures which we were told at the time were absolutely urgent and essential. For a small country, we are becoming more centralised and bureaucratic.

There is an attachment not only in rural Ireland but among many urban dwellers to the sports to which Deputy Flanagan referred. Given that the circumstances leading to the 1972 ban no longer hang over us, there is no reason that we should not have regard to the arguments advanced. I support the reasonable case made by Deputy Ó Snodaigh for these amendments.

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