Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

No; I will be brief. If the Minister was genuine, he could solve the problem by agreeing to defer the Bill until the consultation process has been completed and the draft regulations have been brought to the House for debate. There is no need for the Bill to be passed this week. It is clear that the information the Minister for Education and Skills gave to the House on 12 January is incorrect. We do not have to pass the legislation by 3 February. The earliest date when difficulties will arise will be sometime in the summer. If the Minister is being genuine about the regulations, it is open to him to defer the legislation and bring it back before the House in the summer when the consultation process has been completed, the regulations have been drafted and there will be an opportunity for everyone to debate them.

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