Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

Like Senator Norris, I wish to ask the Minister of State, as I did the Minister yesterday, although I did not get a reply, why the Minister is standing alone on this issue and disregarding advice given to him by the Irish Human Rights Commission, the Law Society and the Bar Council. How often does the Minister disregard their opinion? I do not really expect an answer to that question. I expect their opinion is worthwhile and it is difficult for us to understand why the Minister has disregarded advice from those three organisations and other NGOs and is going it alone. All the other countries have incorporated this convention into their domestic law but this country will be different in this regard.