Dáil debates
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Competition (Amendment) Bill 2010: Order for Report Stage
10:30 am
Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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On a point of order, I am curious to know why this Bill is being dealt with by the Minister of State with responsibility for older people. She must be busy, in light of recent events. Having watched "Prime Time Investigates" on Monday night, it is obvious that she has a job of her own to do. I would be interested to know why a Minister or Minister of State from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation is not present to deal with the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2010.
Cyprian Brady (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is obvious that the Minister of State, Deputy Ãine Brady, is here in substitution for the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary.
Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I am here in substitution for the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary.
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Yes. It is very strange. We have not seen the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, during the course of this Bill. He was not present for Second Stage or Committee Stage. The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, dealt with it at one point. I do not think we have seen the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, at all. There are many Ministers and Ministers of State in the Department. I do not understand how they could all be unavailable. Why is this legislation being dealt with by a Minister of State from the Department of Health and Children? I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Ãine Brady.
Cyprian Brady (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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As it is not a matter for the Chair, we will have to move on to Report Stage.
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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It seems to me that it is quite disrespectful to the House that a Minister of State from a different Department has been asked to deal with this legislation. We have not been given a proper explanation of why the relevant Cabinet Minister, or one of the two or three Ministers of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, cannot be here.
Cyprian Brady (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am sure that will be noted.
Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the House that the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, is in Brussels; the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, is in Poland; and the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, is unavailable today. The Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, was due to take this Bill. Unfortunately, he was with Senator Kieran Phelan this morning so I was asked to substitute for him. I would like to express my sympathy to the family of the late Senator Phelan.