Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will go so far as to seek an adjournment of the Dáil until the Minister with responsibility for this matter returns to the Chamber to hear what we have to say. I assume the Minister has left to brief the media. His ministerial colleagues do not seem to know. One would have assumed they would know and have prepared properly and adequately for this debate. The Minister has been briefing the media for the past week. We walked out of a debate on this matter once before because of the disdain with which the Government had treated the Oireachtas. If it wants to treat us with disdain again, it also will be treating the public with disdain. The Minister with responsibility should be here to represent the motion before the House. He should be here to listen to constructive alternatives and opposition.

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