John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

We acknowledged on Committee Stage that the Minister had accepted quite a few Opposition amendments from the Dáil. This is a technical and complex piece of legislation. I acknowledge the significant work on the Bill on the part of Senators Barrett and Darragh O'Brien, Michael D'Arcy and also myself, if I may say so. The Seanad has proved its worth in this regard. Our colleagues in the less deliberative environment of the Dáil did not notice this omission in the Bill which we flagged here on Committee Stage - I flagged it myself - and which resulted in an amendment which is four and a half pages long. Senator Darragh O'Brien and I wondered if these amendments would have found their way into the Bill if the Seanad was not here, considering the Bill had passed through the Dáil with such great scrutiny and yet these amendments were missed. I am pleased that I and my colleagues here have played some small part in dissecting, analysing and scrutinising this highly complex and technical piece of legislation. In my view the Seanad needs to acknowledge itself and its good work.