Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Fleming, who is taking this Bill on behalf of our party, has indicated to me that quite a substantial number of amendments have arrived late in the day and adequate time has not been allowed for discussion of these amendments to allow an understanding of their full implications. More time is required, given the number of amendments and the lateness of their arrival. This represents a substantive change to the Bill as discussed on Second Stage.

There is also the issue of section 4 of the Bill, pertaining to single parents and the ending of payments when children reach the age of seven, on which I still have not received a response from the Government with regard to conditionality. The attachment of conditionality to any Bill coming through the House from a member of the Cabinet, making it subject to the response of other Cabinet members to the conditions the Minister has laid down, is unprecedented. I would appreciate the Taoiseach's comments on that aspect. Is it his intention to proceed with section 4 as well as these other amendments?

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