Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The debate on the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003 will not be guillotined. We will sit until midnight. The time slots can now be extended and Senators will be allowed to speak for 20 minutes or more. The proceedings might become a little unseemly as time progresses if everybody says the same thing but if Senators wish to be allowed 15 to 20 minutes, that will be acceptable. I will confirm this with the Cathaoirleach afterwards.

I agree with Senator Brian Hayes on the North. Before we degenerate into unseemly behaviour, the House should unite in wishing well the Taoiseach, Mr. Tony Blair and everybody involved in the talks in the North in the hope they will be fruitful, that there will be a commingling of ideas and, in particular, that they will lead to more certainty in a week or two.