David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, also sat here for God knows how long. How many points were made that the Minister might not even be aware of?
That is not the point I wanted to raise at all. Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell asked a question earlier and I want to address it through the Chair. She read out a section of the Bill relating to the holding of a plebiscite, which is the first paragraph of section:

A Bill providing or allowing for the alienation of any share or shares in Irish Water to a person other than a Minister of the Government shall not be initiated by or on behalf of a Minister of the Government in either House of the Oireachtas unless—
(a) a Resolution of each such House...

and so on. None of that means anything. None of it means a damn thing, because it can just be repealed, amended or taken out of a future Bill. She must accept that. The Minister has already acknowledged it so she must accept that. The reason we are going around in circles on this issue is that we have some Senators trying to pretend this is something that it is not.