Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur with Senator Bacik and welcome the Minister to the House. We in this House, having had Second Stage on 13 May, had an advantage in the sense that the Bill had done the rounds of both Dáil Éireann and the justice committee. The latter did substantial work on it. In this regard, Senators Bacik and O'Donovan, other colleagues and I were quite active. Many of these issues were ironed out at the time. When we took Second Stage here on 13 May, it was the end of one journey and the beginning of another. I very much regard this legislation as groundbreaking in what will probably be a ten to 15-year process to deal with a profession that has not really been dealt with properly in 50 to 100 years.

Once Chapter 1 is operational under the authority, the two-year review will determine how that chapter has worked. Some future Government can bring in further legislation to deal with the issues this legislation will not have dealt with and its provisions that will not have worked.

This House has a responsibility to ensure this Bill passes as a matter of urgency. We are in the twilight of the political life of this Government and there could be an election any time. Therefore, the House has a responsibility to the citizens and consumers to ensure it does not delay the passage of the Bill in any way.