Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I accept from my experience previously on committees that the powers specified in the Bill are needed by the Oireachtas but they are important ones and they should be looked at in great detail. Effectively, committees from here on in, and particularly the Joint Committee on Investigations, Oversight and Petitions, will be able to make findings of fact and to call and name individuals. All of us agree that the one thing every citizen in the country is entitled to is their good name. The legislation appears to be rushed. It is important, ground-breaking legislation that overturns the Abbeylara judgment. That we are dealing with it in a short time because it is being guillotined, is not the way to do business. I know there are time constraints but the Government should schedule its business more efficiently. Time and time again the guillotine was used in the last session. We have only just resumed in the past few weeks, although we could have come back earlier to deal with this legislation which has been discussed ad nauseam in the media. As legislators, we should have more time to deal with it. We will oppose the Order of Business today on the basis of an excessive use of the guillotine.

I ask the Leader to bring to the attention of the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the need to urgently contact ComReg to ascertain the mobile phone giant Vodafone plans to switch customers to online billing without seeking their express permission. This was done last year by An Post when it tried to introduce minimum payments for people who are trying to manage household budgets. Vodafone appears to be telling its customers that they will get online bills whether they like it or not, otherwise they must opt out. Many people across the country do not have Internet access and, in addition, they are struggling to manage their household budgets. This is a retrograde step. We have already seen O2 do this and Vodafone is planning to do it. I have no doubt we will also see State utility companies doing it, if it is allowed to happen. I therefore ask the Leader to contact the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources urgently on this matter. Next week, I intend to table an Adjournment matter in this regard. I ask him to bring my concerns and the concerns of other Opposition Senators about Vodafone's plans to the Minister's attention. Vodafone's initiative is anything but customer-friendly.