Alex White (Labour)

A Chathaoirligh, I thought you were a little hard on Senator O'Toole as he was doing very well with his comments on the construction industry, with which I agree. He also dealt well with Deputy Cregan's letter that Senator Fitzgerald raised. This would not be the first letter or article in a newspaper which was of a politically partisan nature, dressed up as a concern for balance in the media. The Deputy's letter is another example of that. He was entitled to write the letter but we are entitled to have our views on it.

I have previously raised, perhaps to the point of tedium, the issue of the taking of Committee Stage debates. Second Stage of the Passports Bill will be taken tomorrow with Committee Stage to be taken on Thursday. It is unsatisfactory to take Committee Stage of any Bill, irrespective of how technical it is, the day after Second Stage.

Second Stage is a general debate on the philosophy of a Bill with the toing and froing between Members and the Minister. All involved need to absorb those general principles from the debate and prepare for whatever amendments they wish to bring forward. In the case of the Passports Bill, Committee Stage amendments must be in before Second Stage, which is unsatisfactory.

I also wish to raise the operation of the refugee appeals system. This morning's newspapers contained extraordinary reports about two senior members of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The Cathaoirleach will be happy it is not the other tribunal which Members so often raise on the Order of Business.

Mr. Michael O'Kennedy, a former Minister and Member of both Houses, and Mr. Eamonn Barnes, a former director of public prosecutions, indicated an intent to go to the High Court to challenge a statement of the chairman of the tribunal. It was in respect of the record of one particular member of the tribunal, which was challenged in the High Court and has been raised by Senator O'Toole and other Members. The chairman stated the man's record was not at variance with the records of other members of the tribunal. We now discover this statement is entirely false and other senior members of the tribunal were prepared to go so far as to appear in court, separately from their chairman, to challenge it. They have said that their records, and those of other members of the tribunal, were significantly at variance with the record of the man in question, which was challenged in the High Court and subsequently settled.

The House will soon debate the immigration Bill but this issue cannot wait until then. Will the Deputy Leader invite the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the House to explain an unprecedented situation that has arisen in respect of this body in which we should have full confidence?