David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

That is what I hope will happen. People living in rural Ireland have a fear that while this might be the case now, there is a real danger that at some point the European Union may force the Government to change the standards again. The Minister will then come back, wash his hands of the matter and say it is not his fault but that of the Europeand Union that the standards have to be changed again. In that event, people will be required to upgrade their systems at huge personal cost.

I will finish on this point because I want to confine my remarks to the subject of the amendment. Sinn Féin welcomes the fact that the Minister has come some of the way, but we are very concerned that some people who may be asked to upgrade and remediate their systems and who will not be financially able to do so could end up being prosecuted in court and having a criminal record. This would be unfair. As such, the provision should be re-examined by the Minister. This will be his last opportunity to do so.

The Minister mentioned the absence of public meetings in Kilkenny. I am sure he is getting it in the neck from people living in rural areas. If he says this is not the case, he must not be out in his constituency because a lot of the people I have met in Kilkenny and elsewhere are very concerned-----