Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Given that there will be no Committee Stage, the Minister of State would agree we need to get as much information as possible. The Minister of State read out what the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan read out on Committee Stage. She said her amendments would be brought through on Report Stage, and this is one of them. This is our only opportunity to discuss it. Given that there is no mention of documentation in the Finance (Excise Duties)(Vehicles) Act 1952, what type of documentation is envisaged? Is the documentation envisaged to register for the first time in a particular vehicle class, given that we have different vehicle classes, or is it on an annual basis? It is important we find out what is envisaged, given that the amendment would enable the Minister to bring in secondary legislation to do it, and the Dáil has no control whatsoever over secondary legislation.

While I support many, although not all, of the objectives of the Bill, I have many reservations about how it is done. Unlike my colleagues opposite, I have no problem with the principle of paying for water or with the fact that those who pay have to be differentiated from those who do not pay, when it is a choice as opposed to an inability. I am not joining my colleagues opposite in opposing the principle of paying for potable water. This has nothing to do with water. It is an amendment to an excise Bill which was not flagged in any way.

What documentation is envisaged? It is important, for the integrity of the House if nothing else, that when an amendment is introduced we at least know what we are doing, even if the amendments are being brought forward in the most unorthodox way possible. We took a vote not to remit the Bill to Committee Stage, and while it was a democratic decision of the House, democracy is not the tyranny of the majority. We must, at least, account for ourselves. This is why we have an Opposition and a debating Chamber in which we are free to ask questions and get answers. My only question on amendment No. 6 is what documentation is envisaged and if it is envisaged that it will be produced when one first registers or on an annual basis.

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