Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I agree with the Minister's intention and the thrust of the Bill to widen the pool. He told us yesterday of 22 cases and we must agree with him in the interest of natural justice, equity and fair play trying to break the logjam. He came to office and presumably found a Bill there. He did not design it initially, but may have refined it with his officials. I accept that the Minister is a totally disinterested party acting solely in the public interest.

It has been established that there has been lobbying. I know nothing of any individual and thankfully no one has lobbied me or made any approach. The Minister clearly has had no hand, act or part in any such activity either. Perhaps there is a readily identifiable person in the minds of people on the other side of the House. As Senator O'Donovan has said, some individual engaged an eminent attorney and got an opinion from that senior counsel. The Minister's bona fides and good faith and his open and disinterested approach must be accepted. Of course we accept the bona fides of the Chief of Staff, the Judge Advocate General and a High Court judge. I do not yet understand why the Opposition Senators are trying to narrowly confine this. I accept there is an individual because Senator O'Donovan has admitted that. I do not need to know; I am not interested.

In the Minister's defence, like all of us he has had to declare his interests. He is not hiding anything and we are not hiding anything. For all the reasons outlined this Bill is urgently required.