Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I opined on Committee Stage, before our memories were all erased, that this amendment was not necessary and I am still of that view. It would be entirely redundant to require people to put the same material into two separate documents. However, the appropriate approach is to expect the rules committee to recognise this fact and to amend the rules of court to state the period for a defence runs from the service of the summons rather than from the service of the statement of claim in personal injuries matters.