David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to make a suggestion to the Minister which I hope will be helpful. It is likely to be at least a week before we come back to this matter in Seanad Éireann. The Minister cited the problem that it was an all-island authority and the Northern Ireland authorities had an input into it. I suggest that the Minister or her officials get in touch, as a matter of urgency, with the Northern Ireland authorities to run the amendments past them and ask if they have any objection and to let us know as a matter of urgency if they do because this will be discussed next week in Seanad Éireann. I cannot see that they would have, but that would then clarify the situation. The Minister stated that we could not legislate for this because it was an all-island framework, the Northern Ireland authorities had an input into it and we could not take over the situation by force majeure. I suggest that over the next short while that the Minister gets in touch, as a matter of urgency, with the Northern Ireland authorities informing them of these amendments which are before Seanad Éireann and asking if they any objection and if they do, to let us know by return.