Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

That begs the question if it is a stitch-up. We want an open debate. We want this committee to decide its own plan of action, its own terms of reference and it should be selecting its own Chairman. The position holder should not be selected in a backroom deal between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and it should not override the proper proportionality of representation that should come from the Seanad with regard to that committee. That is the point. On that basis I agree with Deputy Ó Broin's amendment. The Minister should accept that our arguments are reasonable and he should accept the amendment. Then we can get on with the business, which is what we all want to do, of setting up the committee, addressing the issues around water and moving on.

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