Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State was not the Minister for the entire passage of this Bill. For the record, I will go through what happened with this Bill. It was published in 2012 and nothing happened for a year. Just before the referendum on the Seanad in September last year, it came to the House for Second Stage. Serious concerns were raised across all sides of the House. Senator Coghlan, being in industry and business himself, was also heavily involved on the Fine Gael side, as well as the spokespersons. We raised serious constitutional concerns at that stage in the Seanad. At that time, it is fair to say, the Government looked at it again, spoke to the stakeholders, and came back on Committee Stage. Deputy Harris had just that day been appointed Minister of State and he came into the Seanad. Perhaps he would have benefited from a little bit more time before that. However, we were not satisfied on Committee Stage and we called many votes to indicate our displeasure with what was being put forward. In fairness, on Report Stage, it is clear that the Minister of State's officials and the stakeholders have had a significant input into this Bill.

I have been critical of the pre-legislative discussion by committees, describing it as a waste of time on occasion. However, it would have been hugely beneficial in this case. The discussions that took place between the various interest groups which were to the benefit of the Bill should have taken place in the open at a committee. In future, that is where this type of discussion should happen. I am not imputing anything. I worked with all these people myself and discussed things with them. However, it would have worked better in that forum. I am not sure the Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform would have had the time to deal with pre-legislative scrutiny of this sort of legislation. However, it would have been of benefit because these issues would have come out into the open, been discussed, and other organisations who did not do anything about this Bill but whose members would be affected by it may have got involved. In truth, very few organisations representing members came forward to give suggestions and they spent money getting legal opinions on this that will, as it happened, benefit many other businesses whose representative bodies did not make any contact with me, for one. I do not know if they contacted the Government.

That is the process we have gone through. We have a better Bill, although it still has to go to the Dáil. This was a Seanad Bill, and in talking about the Seanad, not many second houses of parliament can initiate legislation let alone amend it significantly in the way we have done here. It has shown what Parliament can do, but the system can be improved further. I support this Bill as it goes forward. It is acceptable. It changes the system a bit. I thank the chairman of the Meath county board, Mr. Conor Tormey, Mr. Pat O'Brien from Duleek soccer club and the Meath and district league soccer club, with whom I consulted on the amendment on Committee Stage relating to sports clubs. They came back with feedback. They are very grateful for the changes made on that today.