Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I certainly did not try to take any latitude and will try to keep to the groups the Tánaiste put here. I did not pick the grouping but I tried to stick to it as well as I could.

I understand Members' frustration with the timing of the Bill but as has been referred to, this is a discussion and debate that has been going in for a long time. It started in the committee in 2012. We have had four or five years of debate and discussion on it at this stage. There is broad support for it. The Tánaiste at all times since she took over this brief has tried to be present for the debate and even on Committee Stage went to great lengths and changes to get back in time to be able to take all the Committee Stage of this Bill as well. It did not work out for her today. It was facilitated in order that the Tánaiste would be present but things have changed. I think Senator McDowell understands, having been a Tánaiste before, what that is about and that she would do her best to be here. There is time through these amendments and through the next four or five hours to have all the discussion that is wanted.

I am aware that there has been a lot of debate about this outside the Houses. Many people take the chance to have this discussion in the media. That is fine and that is the place for it as well. We have had debate on this. Many groups that are present have had a chance to come in to the committee over a two-year period because Deputy Stanton, with all the members there, did a lot of good work on this issue, which was taken very seriously. It was probably one of the most serious debates that we had on Committee Stage, although it was a committee in the previous Dáil, and rightly so, because it is a very serious and important issue for us to move on and follow other countries around Europe that are making changes here as well.

I am sorry that the procedures prevent people from having their say when they want it, but it is important that we recognise the importance of this House. We have had debates here about Seanad reform. This Bill started here. It was a previous Seanad but Seanaid and Dáileanna change. That is life. It started here and it is back here to finish. That is something that should be welcomed because we keep talking about the importance of this House and we are here to debate the amendments that were made in the Dáil. There are about 70 and we will go through most of them. Many are just technical but there are a few key ones which I acknowledge are of concern to Members. There should be enough time. I am willing, if the Chair allows, to have all the discussion that is wanted.I certainly have not asked for any procedures to be put in place to prevent such a discussion.