Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Pringle has neatly avoided a Peppa Pig moment. Congratulations on that.

Before I call the Minister to respond, Deputy Pringle raises a valid point about the demarcation between the role of Government and the role of the Dáil and Parliament. It was my understanding there was pretty extensive pre-legislative scrutiny on the heads of this Bill. If there was not, I suppose we cannot blame the Government for that and we would have to ask the relevant committee why it did not do its job, if that is the case.

We must not undermine the process in which we are involved. The pre-legislative scrutiny and the debates on Second, Committee, Report and Final Stages are all important and allow us all, if the parliamentary process works properly, and I hope it does, to impress on the Minister, whoever the Minister might be, the merit of amendments and suggested changes. Most Ministers, including Deputy O'Gorman, have shown themselves willing to listen to Members over the period they have been in office. I am sure the Minister wishes to reply to the debate.

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