Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I certainly am not. Deputy Collins is probably out of Limerick longer than he feels he should be, so I will try to be brief. That is the best I will do.

I am in some ways torn. I am delighted the Bill is going to pass Second Stage and I very much welcome that the Government will not oppose it. I hope this will be followed up by a quick progress into pre-legislative scrutiny and that this will not be disrupted by a money message or whatever. While this is very positive it is disappointing that the debate is taking place in the midnight slot, so to speak. That is nobody's fault but it does take away from some of the value. It is an important Bill and I welcome that Deputy Cullinane has brought it before the House. I acknowledge this is the third Bill relating to issues of workers' rights brought by Deputy Cullinane in the lifetime of this Dáil. Without patronising, I believe this is a good thing. I hope it will continue because it was notable that in the earlier discussion on FEMPI that the so-called champions of workers' rights, the Labour Party, did not even bother to show up for the debate. I hope that Sinn Féin is more true to the mantle and I am glad it is taking up such legislation so well.

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