Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Is Senator Buttimer suggesting that the Council of Europe, which has condemned this Bill, is a vested interest? Is the Senator suggesting that the European Commission, which condemned this Bill, is a vested interest? Is he ignoring the fact, as I think he is, that a memorandum from the Department of Justice and Equality was recently released under the Freedom of Information Act, which stated that the language used by the European Commission in condemning the Bill was much more reserved than its private criticisms of it? Is he suggesting that the editors of The Irish Times, who called on the Government to withdraw this Bill and face Deputy Ross down even if it required his resignation, are the vested interest? Are the editors of The Sunday Times, who have condemned this Bill, a vested interest? Are we going to get better judges from this or not? Senator Buttimer seems to have suffered from amnesia. He threw out the phrase, "cosy cartel".