Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senators for their contributions. I appreciate that this legislation has been brought forward with great speed. It is not an emergency Act, as has been canvassed in the media and in the other House, rather it is an Act of the Oireachtas.

It is important that we give due consideration to this legislation. I assure Senators that the Government and the Attorney General gave a considerable amount of time to this issue. The Government has been criticised because the legislation was not introduced in the immediate wake of the Supreme Court judgment. However, the debate in both Houses has illustrated the fact that these are not simple issues——