Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

To suggest that the Adoption Bill or the Civil Partnership Bill, or any other legislation that is not fiscally-based, cannot be debated in this House is facetious. It is a failed argument used by those who cannot put forward a strong argument based on the legislation itself.

Deputy Hogan said this is narrow legislation and I concur. It is so narrow we should not be spending more than two or three hours on it. Instead, this is the highlight of the year in the Oireachtas. If it was not so funny it would be embarrassing to me and others as parliamentarians when there are bigger issues that we must vote on. In last year's budget we had to make some tough decisions.

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