Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

It is difficult to explain in any greater detail the reason the Government cannot accede to this amendment. The matter was explored in some detail in the Lower House and on Committee Stage in this House. The primary issue is that it is not the practice to include a reference in legislation of this type – that is, a Bill which proposes to give effect to rights – to an international instrument which will come into force at a future date. The protocol in question will not come into force until 1 July next but in all probability the Bill will be signed by the President before that date. We would have to incorporate in the legislation a reference to a contingency – a highly probable contingency, I agree – were we to follow the route proposed by the Senator.