David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I compliment the Minister of State and his advisers on the assiduity they have shown in pursuing the minutiae of law. In response to Senator Byrne, I believe it is well worthwhile to go through the law book and weed it out. That is excellent. Also, I make no apologies for submitting amendments, as that is what the Seanad is for, although some of the amendments just gave me an opportunity to vent certain issues.

We are contemporaries of the 18th century. I am not always belly-aching about it and cannot remember the last time I said anything about the 18th century, but it is the period of our greatest cultural triumph. It produced some of our greatest art, literature and architecture and we should remember that. I am glad, if I understand the Minister of State correctly, that instead of processing the entire Bill in one day here, the slight delay in bringing it here has provided an opportunity to review and produce more amendments. At least we have this opportunity. Making the Irish Statute Book more accessible and a more easily viewed instrument is well worth doing.

I simply selected four amendments, out of an enormous number - almost 5,000 - as a representative sample to test and give the Minister of State the opportunity to place on the record the specific function of their removal. That is not an idle exercise and I make no apology whatever for having put forward the amendments. That is what the House is for. It is not a rubber stamp. The Seanad is a place where there is inquiry into matters of substance. I thank the Minister of State for taking these issues seriously and for his courteous replies. I compliment his staff also, but I cannot compliment the person who vitiated - I say this with some feeling-----