Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support the call by Deputy Mary Ann O'Brien on the need to examine the system that is being used in the United Kingdom to combat online child pornography.

It is very urgent and serious and Senator Mary Ann O'Brien put it very well.

I also support Senator O'Sullivan's call for a debate on abandoned horses. I am doing some work in this area. It is costing the State up to €3 million to dispose of abandoned horses every year. It is costing Galway County Council €824 per horse to have them lifted. This year to date, about €220,000 has been spent by Galway County Council.

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to postpone taking Committee Stage of the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions ) Bill 2013 today until we have had hearings on this subject. Company law is complex. There needs to be a briefing on this Bill from those with expertise before it goes any further. I looked at the Second Stage debate last week, which lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. That is not adequate for such a complex Bill. We have suffered from corporate vandalism and white collar crime in this country. I heard Senator Bacik call for a debate on white collar crime today. White collar crime happens in companies as well. Our Government has spoken about a pre-legislative stage so that experts come in and brief Members of the Houses. Can anyone tell me about an area that needs briefings more than company law? Big business is complex and its machinations are not understood by the majority of people. I would say this also applies to Members of this House, including myself. I hope that we would get a serious debate on that issue. I am tabling an amendment to the Order of Business and I ask the House to slow it down, postpone it and have hearings. We have the public consultation process here which we could use as well. We should not push this Bill through without proper debate.