Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This amendment, as I understand it, seeks to allow the decision on whether to have a contract governing the chain of supply to be voluntary on the part of one side. Such a provision would undermine the operation of the Bill. The thinking behind the Bill is that if there is a contract, there is a trail of evidence that can be examined by an independent body to see were the terms of the regulation overseen. If we make that voluntary, we would clearly expose the weaker of the two parties to pressure in such a situation where they could be put under pressure not to agree to have a contract and that would negate the purpose of the Bill. I do not believe that Senator Reilly's amendment would be helpful and on that basis I would not support it.