Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

Perhaps the Ceann Comhairle or the Taoiseach can assist me with an item on the Order Paper that was laid before the Oireachtas last week. It concerns secondary legislation and the manner in which this House is treated. This concerns the treaty amending, with regard to Greenland, the treaties establishing the European Communities and protocol done at Brussels on 13 March 1984. Ireland's instrument of ratification was deposited with the Italian foreign Ministry on 24 January 1985 and entered into force with respect to Ireland on 1 February 1985. It was laid before the House on 1 September 2010, 25 years after it was signed by the Minister. I hope the Taoiseach or the Ceann Comhairle can explain this matter. It seems we have Government by decree in this State and the Government can sign a statutory instrument or adopt a particular matter-----

See this speech in context