Alex White (Labour)

How am I wrong in the assumption that I and others make that irrespective of what happens in this Chamber today, this matter will not be returning to the Dáil? The Dáil being in recess clearly points to that fact.

Second, it is a strange experience being on one's feet here day in, day out asking the Leader questions because he hardly ever answers them but I will ask them again anyway because that is what I am here to do. Why does the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform only appear to be able to bring forward legislation in the months of June and July in any given calendar year? What is the problem in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that it cannot bring forward legislation and pace itself throughout the year to allow some opportunity in the Houses and across the public to debate these extremely important items of legislation? I am leaving aside the issue of the merits of this legislation but clearly anything that has to do with the liberty of the individual requires at least some minimum level of scrutiny in any Parliament. Why can we not have that and why can the public not have access to that throughout a period longer than a few weeks? This legislation was published on 30 June and it is proposed that it will be disposed of in this Chamber today. That is wrong, and the Leader is colluding with the Government in rendering this Chamber irrelevant to the Irish people.