Alex White (Labour)

How is the public to appreciate what is going on? They have no hope at all. Resolving this issue will require more than allowing the House to sit late or, as the Taoiseach said yesterday, sit all night to discuss the issue. It is not just a question of the time taken to discuss it in this House but the period of time the public has to appreciate such an important issue.

Regarding U-turns and so on, I listened carefully to what Senator Mary White said yesterday about the community childcare subvention scheme but we should consider what the Minister said. He pointed out that this was not a U-turn because it was what he intended to do all along.