Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I echo what has been said already in terms of how unacceptable this is as a method of doing legislative business. I have in my hand the list of amendments from the Opposition select committee members and the names of Deputies, including Deputies Ivana Bacik, Cian O'Callaghan, Aengus Ó Snodaigh and others. Even a cursory look through the many pages of amendments shows that the key words match the Title of the Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill. However, the amendments in the Minister's name have nothing whatsoever to do with the historic and archaeological heritage of this country. This was raised very well by Deputy Cian O'Callaghan yesterday on the Order of Business, and it is why we are having this truncated debate today. It is absolutely unacceptable that a Bill as imperfect and in need of amendments as it was, but still a Bill that was on the historic and archaeological heritage of this country, has now been turned into an odds and sods Bill.

When the Minister has created such a mess of a piece of legislation, it is very difficult for Opposition parties to play catch-up and to try to engage in the debate properly. I am a spokesperson on the committee, although I was not at the briefing today. In fairness, that briefing was given but it is still not the right way of doing business that we are going to be throwing the foreshore, the Lough Corrib Navigation Act, the Planning and Development Act, valuation, local government, local government rates, maritime area planning and other matters into the Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill.

There is no reason for it and no excuse. They should be separate pieces of legislation or it should be a miscellaneous Bill on its own merit. It is absolutely unacceptable. It weakens the original Bill and is a bad way of doing business but it is a consistent way of doing business by this Government. It undercuts any confidence people have in any legislation that goes through. When there is not the right scrutiny, the booby traps will come along in the months and years ahead in relation to this. It is no way to do business. I am glad we have had this chance to make this point. It is something we cannot continue to see but I have no confidence that the practice will end.

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