Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)

These people are being left at the mercy of contract law and private law, with no option but to seek to vindicate their rights through the agency of barristers at the Circuit Court.

The response of Government backbenchers during the debate on the Bill I introduced last July is interesting when one compares and contrasts what was said on each side. Deputy Olivia Mitchell, who represents a fair strand of opinion within Fine Gael, said:

I would like to see the total abolition of JLCs, EROs and REAs... At a minimum we need fundamental reform of them... to meet current economic conditions.

The view of Deputy Mitchell, who represents a fair strand of opinion within her party, is that we should sweep them away.

See this speech in context