Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand that we are asking for a lot in this regard. We have asked the Business Committee to agree that we would waive pre-legislative scrutiny for this legislation. In return, I am very anxious to meet the Chairs of all the relevant committees in the areas that relate to the omnibus Bill. If necessary, we will facilitate sending officials into the committees, if Members so wish, to give full explanations and to tease out what is being proposed. We can do that in advance of the Bill being published because we know what the heads are. We can do a lot of the groundwork before 22 February so that everybody understands what is in the Bill. Much of it is straightforward but there are some more complex areas where questions will arise and Members may wish to table amendments, which we will consider. I will make myself and officials available to committee chairs and, if necessary, we can offer that the people who put the legislation together can address the committees, but what I do not want is to send the Bill to seven or eight different committees when it is published because I do not think we could complete it in the timeline that is needed.

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