Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I beg your pardon, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Deputy McNamara spent all of his time for debate talking about why he had no time for debate. I have offered to give more time.

I will finish on this point. The powers that we are seeking to extend are extraordinary. They do not sit easily with me and they did not sit easily with me when I was an Opposition Deputy and the Bill was brought in the first time. I was one of the people who insisted on a sunset clause. I do not like these powers. I do not want to have them and it does not sit easily with me to ask colleagues to support them. Unfortunately, the situation we are in requires that we move in this way. I commit to colleagues that these powers will be used as laid out in my opening speech, that is to say, in a proportionate and time-bound manner.

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