Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----and give no encouragement to this side of the House. The Minister has unfortunately made the fatal mistake of encouraging us a little. When Members on this side of the House get encouragement, they take advantage of it.

We need to look at the realpolitik of this. I have been involved long enough in local government and the Seanad for some years to be realistic and pragmatic. We could debate this issue until 6 a.m. or, as stated earlier by Senator Craughwell, the Minister could put us out of our misery now by stating what to me is becoming apparently obvious, namely, that the Government is not prepared to give an inch on this. Government wants this House to conclude its debate on this legislation by Monday, with no reconvening of the Dáil. We all know the truth: let us move on.