Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In light of the fact that the Leader will have unfettered opportunity to respond, let me explain to him why I believe it is wrong. It is wrong because it makes it easy for the Government side in a debate to scrape through with the minimum number of Senators available for quorum duties. The bottom line is, that is wrong. The Leader has argued that the quorum used by myself, Senator Norris and Senator McDowell during the debate on Committee Stage of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 has been misused or abused. It is a legitimate parliamentary tool, and from that point of view, I reject any attempt to say that it has been abused. I would ask the CPP to revisit this.