Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I second the amendment and support Senator Tuffy's comments, although I do not wish to repeat what she said. I complained on Committee Stage that the Minister of State was constantly relying on the working group's recommendations. He and his senior colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, can overrule those recommendations. I do not think the relevant Minister has stuck so rigidly to the recommendations of a working group during a debate on any other Bill I have been involved with in this House. While we have to recognise and appreciate the work done by many working groups, we should acknowledge that Ministers have the power to amend and improve on the recommendations they make. Some of these recommendations would have resulted in better legislation had they been improved along the lines we have suggested or had the Minister taken on board the reasoning of Members on the Government side. What has been suggested in the House today is not only supported by the Opposition, but also by the Government side. The Minister of State should take responsibility for the legislation and improve it where possible without tying his hands behind his back, as he seems to have done by way of sticking to the strict recommendations of the working group.