Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

We have spent 55 minutes on four questions tabled by two Deputies, which leaves five minutes. If this session finishes peremptorily the next tranche of 38 questions on the North, concerning extremely important issues, will be dealt with in five minutes. Something must be done to rationalise this situation. If we go to the next tranche the Taoiseach's reply will take up all the time available and there will be no time left for supplementary material in regard to the many important Northern Ireland issues. I will ensure that does not happen.

I have some relevant questions on Question No. 4 regarding the review and capacity of the Office of the Attorney General. The Taoiseach spoke on the McKenna judgment and his desire to row back on it. Is he not being opportunistic in the extreme in regard to this? As has been noted, members of the Government can argue anything they want, 24 hours a day. Nobody is stopping them, they can take to the hustings and put forward every argument in the book. However, is it not the case that what the Taoiseach wants is public funds to finance such Government spin rather than have members of Government do the same as members of the Opposition, or as citizens have the right to do - go out and argue their case?

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