Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

When the former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform introduced the Criminal Justice Bill 2006 in this House he spent several weeks dealing with it and was here for the taking of all Stages. We spent weeks dealing with Committee and Report Stages of that Bill. The Minister accepted several amendments to the Bill from this side of the House. That is in marked contrast to what is proposed regarding the criminal justice legislation that we will deal with later. All Stages of that legislation are to be rammed through. That is disgraceful.

Such treatment of legislation happens on a regular basis in this House and that is down to the way the Leader orders the business of this House. He is not doing his business properly and he is not treating this House with the respect that it deserves. The least that can be done is that Second and Committee Stages would be taken today and Report Stage would be taken tomorrow. There would be some sense to that approach. I ask the Leader to consider that proposal when replying to the Order of Business and to co-operate in some way with the Members who wish to contribute to the debate on this legislation. Some 12 speakers are offering to speak on Second Stage of this Bill but given what the Leader proposes, only two or three at the most will be able to contribute. Does the Leader think that represents democracy?