Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the Deputies for contributing to the debate. Clearly, some are of a different point of view to ourselves. I thank Deputy Rock for speaking, and although I had to leave the Chamber during his contribution, I know he was in favour of this. I thank the Minister of State with responsibility for local government for taking the time to substitute for the Minister, Deputy Ross. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport kindly came to the house to give the Minister's view. It is an awful shame the Minister does not specialise in his own Department rather than taking the role of his junior Minister. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport is here in Leinster House while the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, or, as I like to call him, the non-executive Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, is on his way to the world cup in Japan. Obviously, there will be more photocalls there over the course of the next few days than there will be here.

Despite the good intentions of Deputy Rock when he said that the Minister is committed to legislating, in fact, he is not. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport, who spoke on behalf of the Minister, said: "To be better informed when making a decision as to whether the Minister should legislate for the use of such vehicles in this country ...". The Minister of State with responsibility for local government said "if" the Minister, Deputy Ross, chooses legislate. There is no commitment to legislate and, therefore, there is no question of us doing anything other than oppose this amendment. The amendment is laughable in that this Bill would be "deemed to be read a second time this day three months", which is 16 February.

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