Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Members who were here for the debate know we had a discussion on these three amendments which were grouped for discussion purposes. There was one discussion on the three amendments. It was a group discussion and there was no separate discussion on each amendment. The grouping order was accepted by all Members before the debate commenced. It was agreed to discuss the three amendments together. The grouping order was agreed and everybody knew we were discussing the three together at all stages during the debate. As part of that, in an effort to assist co-operation in the matter, I put a proposal that if the proposal for the €75 was included and amendment No. 10 in the name of the Minister was accepted, we would agree to the 12-month review. There is a difference on that but the facts are the entire debate was a linked debate on the three amendments. I would understand the point if we came in and had a discussion on amendment No. 9 and a straight vote and then we came in on amendment No. 10 and there was an issue and then on amendment No. 11. However, they were grouped for discussion purposes. It is not correct for anyone to say there was not a grouped discussion on the three amendments. Everyone who spoke hopped from one amendment to another during that debate and one was contingent on the other. That is the way the debate went. It was a grouped discussion.

I know Members are disagreeing with it now but it was on that sole basis I put forward on behalf of the Government that we could look at the review. That was contingent on the Government amendment going through. It was not contingent on the basis that the Government amendment would be defeated and the only division in this House happened in respect of amendment No. 9, where the decision was made to vote against the €75. That is where the division arose in the House and there was not consensus in that group discussion, as evidenced by the Members of the Opposition who called a vote on amendment No. 9 and voted against the Government proposal. The Opposition in the group discussion demonstrated that it was not coming to an agreement on the three amendments that were down for collective discussion. My view all along was to come to a compromise without dividing the House but Members chose to vote on amendment No. 9 and divide the House.

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