Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I apologise to the Minister of State who is not responsible for what has happened. However, it is impossible to participate in debate when one cannot rely on the monitors we all use when we are not present in the House. I understand group 9 amendments have to do with An Bord Pleanála membership, oral hearings and fees. Generally we see much of this Bill as being progressive in import, but there has been a difficulty - in terms of the lack of scrutiny that has been enabled - for both Houses. Given that 90 amendments were never reached in the Dáil and given the number of amendments made by the Dáil with which we are presented now, it is essentially a new Bill that has come before the Seanad today. Given it is a Bill that started in the Seanad and on which we had an opportunity to debate amendments previously, it is unfortunate we are confronted with such a volume of new amendments at this stage.

Some of the amendments deserve more scrutiny, particularly amendments which could have the effect of limiting access to the courts for individual litigants, particularly environmentalists. These are a serious concern. With respect, I refer, in particular, to amendment No. 57 to section 33 of the Bill because the new section 50B it inserts will have a seriously chilling effect on litigation in the environmental field.