Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We can amend that. The committee could come back and say it wants more time. That is a technical issue. The ten-week period refers to consideration in committee. We can begin the process and deal with it, but the notion of killing it off for a year means it will not happen. I am impressed by the contribution tonight of the new Chairman of the Committee on Education and Skills, Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin. I take her at her word that this will be a priority issue, which is very encouraging for us. The last time I saw this amendment, which in technical terms is called a reasoned amendment, it was used by the then Minister for Justice when I introduced the first civil partnership Bill. The Government and the then Minister for Justice, who is now an illustrious Member of the other House, Senator Michael McDowell, voted to delay the enactment of the civil partnership Bill for six months, knowing there were not six months left in the life of that Dáil. It knocked the civil partnership Bill, which was the precursor of the marriage equality Bill, back another Dáil term. My experience of this-----

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