Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The Leader will confirm that this side of the House has offered co-operation throughout this debate. I asked last night, this morning and possibly again this afternoon why the legislation has to go through in such a rush. We found out last night there was no need for it to go through last night and now, 24 hours later, we are asking the same question. If there is a reason in the national interest the Bill must go through tonight, no one on this side of the House will walk away.

In terms of the Leader's good offices, we have had our arguments in the past but if he stands up and hand on heart says he cannot tell us the reason but he has been assured there is an important reason in the national interest for the Bill to go through tonight, we will discuss that. I have not heard that. It seems as if the Government just wants to get this pesky legislation out of the way and get it through the Seanad tonight. That is the message coming across to us.

I understand the Leader has been in contact with Government and that the Government is irritated by what is going on in the other House. I have listened to the debate there all afternoon and understand that Committee Stage is a series of Second Stage speeches there. That is their business. However, I get the impression from what the Leader has said that the Government intends to bring the legislation to a speedy conclusion in the other House. If that is the case, that is its business.

The question for us, and this is a fair question for the Leader to ask the Government, is whether there is a reason in the national interest for this Bill to go through at 2 a.m. as opposed to 11 a.m. or midday tomorrow? The same date will be on the stamp. The Leader has indicated to the groups there is a motion for earlier signature, but that will make no difference. It can all be done on the same day, whether 2 a.m. or 2 p.m. tomorrow. I can see no gain in pushing it through tonight.

We must be logical in this regard. Let us assume we are offering co-operation, that we all want to get it right despite our difficulties with aspects of it, and that we are all prepared to sit for as long as it takes. However, all we want to know is why it needs to go through tonight. I asked that question this morning and I think the Leader may have asked it himself but dared not say so publicly. If it has to go through tonight, that is the end of the argument. If the Government does not impose a guillotine in the other House, it will not even be out of it at 2 a.m.

There are many variables to the question. If there is a real reason the Bill must go through, let us do it. If there is not, it is just nonsense to be hanging about. That is what it all boils down to.