Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

When the Government was formed a number of people said to me they thanked God the Greens were there because they would make sure things are done right. This is not doing things right at all. This is rushing through legislation. Everybody in the room received 4,000 emails and not just me. The 4,000 people who have contacted us, and the several hundred others on the other side who have contacted us, would find no objection in waiting a further 28 days to finally iron out how the legislation works.

Senator McDowell was front and centre along with my good friend, Feargal Quinn, on the preservation of the Upper House to put a halt to the Government's gallop. That is what we are here for. We are here to oversee legislation and put a halt to the Government's gallop. Since this Seanad was formed, the Government has rammed through Bill after Bill. It has treated us with nothing but disrespect. It is also treating the Lower House with nothing but disrespect by demanding that Members submit amendments before we have even finished with the document.

Senators Higgins and Ruane and made some valid points. While I am totally committed to Senators Boyhan and McDowell, I believe if we had a Report Stage in a few days, we would have a chance to find middle ground between us and come up with an amendment that would suit the needs of both sides of the argument. What the Minister is doing today is an affront to democracy. It is certainly not what I expected. Senator Boyhan has told me several times that the Minister is a decent guy. He cannot allow this to go ahead today. He is charged with the responsibility of a Minister and sometimes he will have to step up to the plate and say he will not be used by anybody and that he will be his own man because that is what he is. He has to say today that he will not allow the Bill to go through the House and that he will stop it on Committee Stage because there are decent arguments being made on all sides and we need time to reflect. This is his call.

I am getting emails from people as I sit here pleading with me to slow this down. The Minister has to step up to the plate today and explain why we have to ram this through in a totally and utterly disrespectful way to the House. I did not seek election to the Seanad to rubber stamp everything that came through. I am genuinely committed to the role I have, as are most of my colleagues. I do not know anybody here who wants to see democracy being debased.That is what is going on here. I am asking now that the Minister steps up to the plate for himself, the Department he represents and those who have been affected on both sides of this argument, as well as the Minister's political party. He should say, "No, I am not going to be used here today. I will slow this down and allow proper scrutiny of this legislation and I will listen to what is being said." As I listen to people, my opinions are shifting in different directions. If mine are moving in different directions, so too must the Minister's opinions.

I know people like Senators Higgins and Ruane have their finger on the pulse with the organisations behind the amendments they are moving. I know Senator McDowell's desire to protect the confidentiality is just and decent, and it reflects what any State should do. We need to slow down the process today and we should not go beyond Committee Stage. I ask that this request be honoured.