Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I have spoken with him on a dozen occasions in person and on telephone about his Bill. I have been aware of the Bill from its gestation. I took the trouble to go to see the Taoiseach last Wednesday night on some matters but mostly on this matter and we had quite a thorough discussion on it. I take my duties as Leader seriously so what I am saying is the truth. There was never an intention on behalf of the Government to wilfully come in and vote down this Bill. I strongly regret that was the tenor of this morning's exchange but that was then and this is now. In the interim we had various other discussions with the Minister, who proved extraordinarily accommodating, the Taoiseach and my own party members. Whatever about the relationships of which we speak one has to keep all sorts of relationships going as well and that took some doing.