Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I listened to Deputy Ó Caoláin without interruption, but every time I reply to him, he feels he has the right to interrupt me. If the Deputy wants a reply, he must wait for it, but there is nothing I can do about the fact my reply will never be satisfactory for him. The facts of the matter are as I have outlined them to the Deputy. If he wants to relegate the programme for Government in the way he did, by dismissing it out of hand, there is obviously nothing I can say to him to convince him - because he does not wish to be convinced - about what the position of the Government is. I have referred the Deputy, if he wants to know what the political commitment is, to the programme for Government. With regard to the work that is ongoing, I have explained to him what exactly the Government is doing on this matter. It is a serious and important matter and work is proceeding. The Attorney General's advice will, obviously, have to be considered by the Government in respect of all of that.

I understand and recognise the work that was done and the fact that members of the committee from all parties came forward with the wording. That was good work, but the Government must now consider that position and decide where it goes from here.

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