Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I welcome very much the inclusion of pay and pension entitlements. It is hugely important and I am sorry that I did not get the opportunity to say that on Second Stage.

On the advice from the Attorney General's office, my understanding is that a European directive is enforced from the time it is passed and that one cannot delay the spirit of the directive merely by waiting for the legislation to be carried through. Although I am not an expert in this area, I would have thought that the directive applied from the time it was passed and that, effectively, from that date in July 2001, the spirit of it was in place. I am not sure what that means in any real sense, but that is the normal approach and it is always the case. It is a constant factor in directives that they are in operation from the time they are passed. They are not delayed simply because the implementation issue has not been dealt with.

Amendment put and declared lost.

Section 1 agreed to.

SECTION 2.