Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have not seen that letter. I apologise for that. Regardless of whether the Ceann Comhairle has sent the letter, and I accept that the decision is entirely at his discretion or that of a committee Cathaoirleach, this is no way to make law. I appreciate that the Minister of State does not think it is ideal but he is determined to get this Bill done and have everything completed. I agree with him that there is an imperative to get the Bill concluded but I simply do not understand why it has to be done in this manner, with more than 60 provisions of primary legislation and more than 60 statutory instruments all being rammed in on Report Stage without any proper discussion, analysis or examination. It does not result in good law or good law-making. It is particularly problematic in instances in which these are powers that will be reserved to an unelected official, effectively by fiat of unelected officials because nobody could say the Dáil has had the opportunity to discuss this matter adequately. Does anybody even know what these powers refer to? There is no explanatory memorandum setting out what they refer to.

This tarnishes the Bill and the law-making function of this House. That is my firm conviction. We are elected here and we get very well paid for what is a nice job but we have a constitutional requirement that we legislate for the country. Some people who grew up in time gone by, of whom I am one, grew up among people who were incredibly proud of the fact that they could elect people to make the laws for their country because they were born in a country where they could not elect people because they were poor, constituencies did not work like that and they felt laws were being made somewhere else that were not for them. The law-making function is one we could perhaps pay a little regard to every once in a while. Putting in seven pages of amendments on the last stage, even if the Ceann Comhairle can be persuaded not to exercise his discretion, is not good law-making and does not respect this House or the Constitution. On that basis, I oppose this amendment.

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