Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

While were discussing the last amendment, I received another new amendment. It just arrived in front of me. It was the first time I saw it. It was not even pointed out to me. It was on my desk.

The manner in which this legislation is being dealt with is inappropriate. Planning is a fundamental issue that relates to the issue of local democracy. I have a fundamental problem with the issue I already raised in amendments Nos. 27 to 29. I had other issues I wanted to raise. I have concerns about proposals on strategic developments, which I raised on Committee Stage. I still do not understand what the Minister of State is doing with that amendment and I am concerned that it might water down the provisions. I could be wrong, but I wanted to find out. I would have asked questions if we had reached that amendment.

The Labour Party cannot support this. I support in principle what the Minister of State is trying to do on planning, but I fundamentally oppose the principle of undermining local democracy and the way in which this Bill is being dealt with. The Bill could have been taken next week. We did not need to guillotine this discussion. We will fail to discuss more than 90 amendments today and that is wrong.

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