Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is not acceptable that on Committee Stage in this House we are being asked to consider a section which makes provision for another section with which none of us agree and that we are not being told what its ultimate content will be. The Government has had plenty of time to make its wishes in this regard clear. The Minister need only state what he will be proposing for section 44. We can then consider what this section actually means in that context. The Minister constantly references that once the Bill has completed Committee Stage in this House the Government will consider and publish amendments to it. I do not think that is acceptable or reasonable. The Minister should specifically state how he sees section 44 operating before we are asked to approve section 48, which makes provision for section 44.