Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

How badly have we been served by our Judiciary over the years that there is such a need to bring in such desperately flawed legislation? Why are we doing this? What purpose are we serving? At least the amendment would allow for the fact that there may be a trickle down effect. The Minister does not envisage that happening, but how can he guarantee in the legislation that there will never be a trickle down effect or delay, or that each appointment will take four months, as I estimate will be the case? He cannot do so. We are trying, with this amendment, to ensure we have robust legislation that will provide a guarantee that, in the event of the trickle down effect occurring at some stage - a bit like the backstop we keep hearing about for Northern Ireland - the Minister will be in a position to immediately act. The Minister may not want to give oxygen to it but I do not want to give oxygen to the notion that his beliefs today are de facto, God almighty, 100% certain. I do not want to give him that oxygen today. He and I are equally flawed and both of us are as flawed as the Bill before him.