Michael McCarthy (Labour)

There are 28 amendments to the emergency Bill being debated in the Dáil which will not deal with it again until 8.30 p.m. Even if the Dáil rushed through amendments Nos. 1 to 28, it is highly unlikely that the Bill will be here before midnight. The Ceann Comhairle is a Deputy of 21 years' standing and if he announced on the national airwaves that it is unlikely that the Bill will be completed in the Dáil before midnight, it is pointless bringing us back at 10 p.m. and even more pointless bringing us back at 11 p.m. because, realistically, it will be tomorrow morning before we get to the Bill.