Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The responsibility we have here is to ensure the legislation that comes out of the Seanad is robust and correct. What happens in the Dáil happens in the Dáil. We have a responsibility to make sure we pass the best possible legislation here. The Fianna Fáil amendment is an improvement. If we are talking about a pilot scheme, amendment No. 3c, which is in my name, proposes that it be "in such part or parts of the State as specified in the regulations, but covering an area no greater than 10 per cent of the hedgerows in the State". That allows a pilot scheme. It covers 10% of the nation. We could call that a pilot scheme. We cannot call a scheme in the Twenty-six Counties a pilot scheme. Amendment No. 3c gives the Minister the option of doing a proper pilot scheme in a small part of the area of the country.