Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I could not restrain myself at that point. He proposed an outrageous guillotine. There is a weekly leaders' meeting at which we agree to the Order of Business and the schedules for the following week. It is a good practice that the Leader introduced in 2016. The matter before us, however, was never discussed or raised at the meeting last week and was not flagged with us. Senator McDowell is correct that it seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to the Minister's failure last night. He rushed into the Chamber to resume debate on Report Stage of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill but no officials or Fine Gael Senators were present. His own undue haste led to votes on two amendments going in a way he had not anticipated.

On a serious and sad note, I express my condolences to the family of the late Paul Anthony McDermott.