Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, lines 17 to 21, to delete subsection (3) and substitute the following:

"(3) This Act shall come into operation immediately on its passing into law.".

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, and his officials to the House. I understand my proposal that "This Act shall come into operation immediately on its passing into law" is the norm. I am not sure why such latitude is being given to the Minister to decide when exactly it will be implemented, especially considering that it has taken a year and a half for her to introduce it in the first place and that she is primarily responsible for having introduced flawed legislation in December 2004, which, I am thankful, was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. I hope the Minister of State will look favourably on my amendment.