Alex White (Labour)

Senator Hanafin keeps making that call and I do not know whether to laugh or cry when I hear it. I am sure the Government will at some stage come forward with its proposals because, of course, it is running the country. Let us see what it has to propose and we will then have to make a response. Let the Senator be assured that we will do so.

In respect of the NAMA legislation, to which we will be returning following the Order of Business, I do not wish to dwell on the point raised by other colleagues about the constant changing of the guard yesterday in regard to the ministerial presence to deal with the legislation. I know there is a difficulty and if the Bill is being taken all through the day, it is not possible to have the Minister for Finance here all the time, which we all appreciate. However, to put it as delicately as I can, this legislation is so important that Ministers dealing with it in the House should be reasonably au fait with it. They should have not just an ability to read the legislation, but also an understanding of its key aspects. We were faced with a serious difficulty last night. I will certainly not direct my comments at any individual, but there appeared to be either an inability or an unwillingness to face up to the fundamental issues in the legislation that we were attempting to debate with him. That is the problem we had and that is why the temperature rose for that period last night.

I heard the beginnings of a debate earlier on the question of Christian democracy and social democracy. I have no problem with having such a debate, but was it suggested that the NAMA project is consistent with a social democratic vision of society? I am not sure that was suggested, but I thought I heard that.