Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I never suggested expressly nor did I in any way imply that any Member of the House was engaged in filibustering, much less Senator McDowell himself. I am quite happy to sit here and listen. I found the debate quite valuable in many respects. I hope I will continue to do so.

The point of the definition of the lay person which includes the chairperson is that the chairperson can only be a lay person. That is back to the original agreement in the programme for Government.