David Norris (Independent)

I wish to support comments made by Senators O'Toole and Henry. It is obvious that Senator O'Toole's amendments refer to the original Act. There is no doubt about it.

The Minister of State is usually a sympathetic and reasonable figure, but it was extraordinary for him to remark that we could have seen the amendments on the website. Is he suggesting that we go on a fishing expedition to websites all over the Internet in order to find information? That was a totally inappropriate remark which brings our debate to a very low level. The Minister of State should have the decency to say he made the remark in the heat of the moment or based on poor advice, which may be the case. It strikes me as similar to a remark made in the Dáil, when a Deputy was told he did not ask the right questions. This is wrong. It is bad parliamentary behaviour and should be recorded as such in the House.