Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I endorse what Senators Bacik and Norris have said. It is disappointing.

The Government has a number of amendments here. It did not seek amendments in this regard. I do not think it was anyone's intention to exclude the Health and Safety Authority, the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, Tusla, the HSE, ComReg or any others. I take on board what Deputy Stanton said about the definition, but he is the Minister of State. He could have engaged or created a situation where we could have amended amendments but he did not do so. It is on his watch. He is the Minister of State. If he is committed, is he happy that groups such as the Health and Safety Authority, HIQA, Tusla and the HSE are excluded? That is what it amounts to. Is Deputy Stanton, as Minister of State, happy to preside over that? If he had concerns, surely he and the Department would not have a problem? By his own actions and the fact he has not brought in a proposal here, it is difficult at this late stage, as Senator Bacik said, for us to tweak it now.

We have to be mindful of the Minister of State's advice. If it is necessary, I am happy to withdraw the amendment, but I do not really want a load of people running up the stairs and voting, as they will, with the Government on this. I say to the Minister of State that it is disappointing that he did not see fit to take on board the spirit of this. Forget about who is proposing, who has seconded or who is speaking on it. I do not think anyone really envisaged a situation where we would exclude these particular bodies from this legislation. I want to put that on the record and would like a response from the Minister of State about it.