Seanad debates

Friday, 16 October 2020

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages

 

10:30 am

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Senator Mullen's five or six questions do require to be answered insofar as the Minister can do so. If the commission asks for another few days to carry out the consultative process, whatever that entails, I presume the Government will not force it to finish by 30 October in circumstances in which what the Minister is announcing to us now has yet to become law and all the rest of it. It will be a very tight timeframe. By the time this goes through the Dáil, comes back to the Seanad and becomes law, the commission will have a matter of only 72 hours or so to engage in the consultation. Therefore, a short extension would be a good idea. I presume the commission would seek it. I never look a gift horse in the mouth and I thank the Minister for what he has indicated that he proposes doing but I do want to put a marker down that I am holding him to the bargain. I do not want him to say in the Dáil that he has changed his mind again and that he got away with it in the Seanad, and that they fell for it. I want to have a clear understanding that we are taking the Minister at his word and that he is going to do in the Dáil what has been proposed and bring it back here. To save us a lengthy debate in the Seanad on the next occasion and so we will not find out at the eleventh hour and 59th minute what the Minister is proposing, it might be a good idea if he notifies us as soon as he has the amendment drafted. Certainly at that stage, the Minister will be saying he cannot amend the legislation a second time and bring it back to the Dáil. It would be fair to this House and in a spirit of co-operation for him to signal to us what he is doing at the earliest available opportunity.

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