Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was not aware of that.

This is a change. Normally, Opposition legislation is ruled out of order if it is a cost to the Exchequer, a procedure with which I always disagreed. This is a matter which should have been addressed during the recent review of how the Oireachtas works. If this does set a precedent, I will certainly welcome it.

Sinn Féin will be supporting the Bill. However, we hope it just does not go to committee while the Government's Bill is being drafted. Accepting Bills for the sake of it and leaving them on the shelf on Committee Stage would not be in keeping with the new politics of this House. I hope the Minister will not do that because there is nothing more frustrating. The only thing more frustrating than getting a Bill ruled out of order is actually getting it past Second Stage, but then having it sit on Committee Stage until the Government brings in its own legislation. We would certainly like to see this legislation progressed through Committee Stage. Obviously, it will not be done in the near future as there is much work to be done on it, some of which was outlined by the Minister earlier. It is a comprehensive Bill, however. If Government amendments can be incorporated into this legislation, then it would save the Minister's office and the Parliamentary Counsel much time not having to draft a brand new Bill.

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