Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are here for the good of the country and we are raising issues of national importance. I acknowledge that everyone has his or her own priorities and I am not for one moment suggesting that any Member of the Oireachtas would vote against the plan in any event because it is a good plan and it concerns the future of the country. If the Government had full confidence in the plan, it would have no difficulty putting it before both Houses for a vote. If the evidence based approach to which the Minister of State referred in his contribution were a matter of fact, he would have absolutely no difficulty allowing both Houses to vote on the plan. I am not sure what the fear factor is here. There are gaping holes in the plan, some of which relate to the Minister of State's own county and were raised with me by members of Meath County Council. These include the absence of recognition for major towns like Ratoath and Ashbourne. These are matters we want to raise and it is not about delaying the plan. Why not take the month of August or September to debate the plan here? There is nothing to stop us if we want to do it. Let us have a five or ten-day debate.