Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I wish to continue my protest in respect of No. 3, the Intoxicating Liquor Bill. We are not giving this Bill enough time. The dilemma for the Opposition is the shortage of time between Second Stage and Committee Stage. There is evidence that, where we do not spend enough time on legislation, mistakes are made. This is an important Bill which, as a colleague said yesterday, involves seven other items of legislation. We need more time and I ask the Leader to reconsider that matter, particularly in light of the considerable workload justice spokespersons' on all sides had yesterday.

No. 16 on the Order Paper is a motion requiring that the Offences Against the State Act 1998 continue in force for another year until 30 June 2004. Will the Leader give a commitment to debate this motion next week? This draconian legislation was introduced as a result of the Omagh bombing. A commitment was given to the Opposition at the time that the stringent powers it contains would be debated in both Houses of the Oireachtas on a yearly basis. We should continue this practice because the Government should give us its assessment as to why there is a need for this legislation to continue in force and we should always remember the reason this legislation was introduced, namely, the appalling atrocity at Omagh. There will be an opportunity next week for the Leader to arrange a debate on the motion in question in order to allow the Government respond to points raised. I am aware that, at present, there is an individual before the courts on foot of the provisions of the Act. I will not comment on that, other than to say that there is at least one case before courts as a result of the legislation and it would be good if the House was to debate it at some point next week.