Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of the amendment is to get a Minister to explain why he or she is not taking a particular course of action or doing something. Members have enough difficulty in getting Ministers to explain why they are doing something, rather than getting them to explain why they are not. Members know that there is a great peace delegation going to North Korea and that explanations have been given by the Ministers involved for why they are going. However, an amendment such as this would require the Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton, to give an explanation for why he was not going. Deputy Clare Daly's amendment is well intentioned, but it is difficult enough to get Ministers to explain what they are doing without trying to get them to explain why they are not doing things.

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