Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

On behalf of the Labour Party, I also object to the guillotine being used. The legislation is concerned with the files of children who died in the care of the State and the work of the independent review group. It is extraordinary that, while the group was set up by the Minister for Health and Children, the only way it can get the information it requires is via a circuitous route through her to the HSE and back again. She decides whether the group requires that information.

Clearly, the legislation needs to be amended. Three quarters of an hour will be provided to discuss the 19 amendments tabled by Deputy Shatter and myself. This is entirely inadequate for an important issue, namely, the lives and deaths of children put into the care of the State. On behalf of the citizens of Ireland, we are here to deal with this legislation, but we only have three quarters of an hour in which to do our best to strengthen the Bill in so far as we can. It is emergency legislation, which should never be rushed through in this way. If we get it wrong, the lives of the most vulnerable children in our communities will be affected. On behalf of the Labour Party, I strongly object to only three quarters of an hour being afforded to deal with 19 amendments to important legislation.

I wish to make a general point that was made by my party yesterday. We are constantly having guillotines because we are nearing the end of the term. The two applied yesterday were unnecessary because the business was done before we even reached the times at which the guillotines were to be applied. We are using up valuable time on issues in respect of which we do not need guillotines while a guillotine is being applied to the important matter of the deaths of children in care. Opposition spokespersons will have three quarters of an hour to try to deal with an issue. As representatives of the people, we have a responsibility to deal with it in this Chamber.

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