Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

We will not support the proposal that the Bill pass its Final Stage and be sent to the Lower House. Colleagues on both sides have attempted to give it a fair hearing. It is interesting that Senator Mansergh has, under the leash of the Minister, withdrawn many of his constructive comments. The Minister stated unequivocally – he ought to have it as his epitaph – that he was not prepared to accept amendments. We have made no progress on Report Stage.

When the original Bill was presented in 1997, two Governments and five parties had been involved in the deliberations and there was a degree of cross-party consensus as to how to proceed. The problem now is that the same consensus has been lost because the issue has been politicised by the Government's decision to make these severe amendments to the Act. I regret that fact, which is the reason we will continue to oppose the Bill.

It was the former Deputy, Albert Reynolds, who received the note from the Attorney General's office which stated "If questioned on this, keep repeating the above". We know what transpired from that. There is not, unfortunately, the same commitment to such openness and transparency now. Given the problems to which Opposition colleagues have referred in respect of the definition of Government, particularly in respect of the problem with the deliberative process and the lack of consensus on both sides of the House on this issue, we believe the Bill should not go forward to the Lower House.

I remind the Minister that his colleague and friend, Deputy Fleming, along with his other Fianna Fáil colleagues on the committee he chairs, is of the view that substantial amendments need to be made to the Bill. We look forward to these because, as it stands, the Bill does not meet the criteria established in 1997 and that is regretted on all sides of the House.