Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

We have only reached section 5 of the Bill on Committee Stage. Two or three aspects of the legislation are extremely controversial. An expectation has been built up that some 300 gangsters and thugs will be locked up by the weekend if the Bill is passed. As Deputy Charlie Flanagan stated, that will not be the case. Committee Stage of the Bill is being taken in the House. If the Tánaiste would agree to refer the Bill to the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights, the issues relating to it could be teased out over the summer months and it could be brought back before the House when it meets in mid-September. Nothing will be lost in the interim. It is wrong to give people the impression that the gangsters to whom I refer will be locked up in the next week or ten days.

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