Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I want to make a general point. I cannot accept what the Minister of State has just said in regard to the amendment, namely, regardless of how justifiable it is or how it will enhance the Bill, he is just not going to accept it because he does not have the time. We have concerns about this legislation contradicting European directives yet his stock answer to all the amendments is that he does not have the time. We were given a deadline for amendments to this legislation as being the day before the Second Stage debate. We often make this charge about things being rushed through but we have never heard a Minister or Minister of State stand in this House and say they are sorry, but they cannot take an amendment regardless of how well-intentioned it is, regardless of the fact their officials agree it might improve the Bill, or regardless of what the Attorney General says, because they just do not have the time. This is quite unprecedented, in my view.

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