Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I take that point and I understand the politics of it. Even were this amendment to be pushed and passed, I would need to bring it back to the Dáil and take it out again because I cannot have an item of legislation that is directly contradictory to a European directive. There is a way of potentially solving this issue. I will give a commitment to the House that we will speak to the Commission about this. If we are interested in getting something done here, the only way we can get something done between now and 29 March is to speak to the Commission and see whether it would consider factoring this issue into contingency planning, should it come to that. If it is helpful, I can certainly commit to raising that issue with the Commission again. However, let us be honest with each other, serious things are going on at the moment on which we have to make decisions. It is totally up to the Senator but if we are serious about trying to solve this green card issue, the only way to do it is to talk to the Commission and see if it can factor it into its contingency planning. I do not believe it will be accepted but as for pressing amendments we all understand cannot be facilitated in the legislation, I accept so doing makes a point, and the Senator has to make a point here and I can understand that, I am happy to give him an assurance that we will try to take this forward in a way that can change something for the better. If he is willing to take my assurance on that, I would appreciate it, but it is up to the Senator as to what he wants to do.