Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I really want to echo what Senator Higgins has said. As acknowledged by the Minister of State last week, this is a detailed and technical Bill which runs to 90 pages. The fact of the matter is that the key architect of that Bill has now transferred to head up a key lobbying organisation. The job description says that part of his new role will be to ensure the association's policies and views are clearly communicated in a timely manner to target audiences, in particular, governments, departments and regulators.

It is time the Minister of State addressed the elephant in the room. We want to work with him. We need to go back to prelegislative scrutiny of this Bill. It is too important. Finding out loopholes in a few years' time will be no good. It is too important and I plead with the Minister of State to address this issue.