Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

For the record, the Minister mentioned that these amendments were produced late in the day. I must be very clear about this. Senator Boyhan was informed last Wednesday that because of the Brexit legislation it would be weeks before we returned to this matter. On Thursday evening we became aware that this had been reversed and we were to have an extra session today. Furthermore, we learned that in order to meet the deadline for today we were obliged to submit any amendments to sections 45 and 46 to the Bills Office by Friday at 11 a.m. This U-turn resulted in the Minister not having more than three days to consider these amendments. It was nothing to do with us.

If I might make a more general point, as the Committee Stage debate on this Bill proceeds the Minister is entitled to bring his own amendments. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact I would argue, though I do not wish to widen the discussion from the particular amendment-----