Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

There is time to step back from the temperature being created in this debate. When I spoke on Second Stage I do not believe I offended or insulted anyone nor did I personalise the debate but I was shocked by the aggressive tone I just heard and the underlying virtual threats which come with it. That cannot be correct. Amendments have been tabled in a democratic way. It is up to both sides to put forward their case and set out their stall. It will not help the debate if we are to go down the road of name-calling, personalisation and insults. I will not engage in that. I never have in my 13 years in the Seanad and do not intend to start now. For the sake of the debate and the amendments, it is time for those who started it to step back at this point.