Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

Like the Minister, I want to acknowledge the valuable work of Senator Maurice Hayes on this section, and in so many other things, while he has been a Member of this House. I also commend the many things he did before he became a Member of this House.

The Minister has partly covered the point I wish to make. He has given what many would say is valid justification for the exclusion of Members but I do not accept it, though it is nothing to do with the good Minister. This issue has been evident in many previous Bills and Members of this House and the other House opposed all of them. I partly accept what the Minister has said and he does not necessarily wish to cause exclusion but he has acknowledged on the record that the Parliamentary Counsel automatically exclude Members of the Oireachtas. This is a frightful insult to those of us participating at this level in our democracy and it is patently wrong. They do not have to be appointed but the Minister should drop this unnecessary, provocative wording that is biased against elected representatives. I do not accept this and I do not believe anyone in either House would.

For the reasons the Minister has outlined, they do not have to be appointed, it is an involved executive function, but I believe the wording in the Bill is unnecessary, as it would be in any Bill.