Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome. I remember well the time we spent together in this House and what an enthusiastic leader he was for the Opposition. It was a good Seanad. A great deal was achieved in that time and the Minister of State's enthusiasm, commitment and intelligence worked very well. I am delighted he is here today and that he has given so much time to come to this House because, as Senator O'Brien has said, we have been disappointed that in two and a half years, the Taoiseach turned up only twice, and one of those occasions was to tell us he was planning to abolish us.

What we are debating is abolition day and the detail of the abolition, although many people have moved somewhat from what we were talking about. Section 1 reads:

(1) This Act may be cited as the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), this Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision, and different days may be so appointed for different purposes and different provisions.

I would like an explanation of what that means. It further reads:

(3) Where the Minister proposes to make an order under subsection (2)--(a) he or she shall cause a draft of the proposed order to be laid before each House, and
(b) he or she shall not make the order unless and until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each House.

When that happens-----