David Norris (Independent)

I welcome and am not at all surprised that the Minister is speaking so strongly on this issue. The House is united behind him in that context. There are other circumstances in hospitals, for example, where members of gangs who have been shot are placed under armed guard, which exposes nurses without any increase in remuneration in terms of danger money or special insurance. They are placed in great danger.

While the principle of my amendment has been disallowed, I wish to speak on it with the guidance of the Chair. I received a notice from the Cathaoirleach indicating that the next amendment, which deals with the same matter, is out of order. I tabled an amendment stating "all such persons acting on behalf of the state to whom reference is made in this section shall have the same rights to compensation as members of the Garda Síochána and the armed services".