Ivana Bacik (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Labour Party Senators oppose section 2 and propose its deletion for the reasons I outlined, both on Second Stage and earlier on Committee Stage, our concerns regarding the need for the legislation and the concerns others have expressed on preservation of the archive. It is important to see a commitment to establishing a dedicated archive in which could be housed all historical records, databases and findings of other commissions into institutional abuse also. Senator Sherlock has strongly advocated siting such an archive at the former Magdalen laundry in Seán McDermott Street.

I am very encouraged to hear the Minister engaging with Senators Higgins and McDowell on the amendments and committing to consulting the Attorney General to introduce amendments in the Dáil. As the Seanad will sit next Friday, there is time for amendments to be taken in the Dáil on Wednesday and Thursday next week when the Bill is scheduled to be debated and then to be dealt with in the Seanad on Friday. I offer the Minister that in the spirit of being constructive.

As others have said, this is not an appropriate way to legislate. It is very rushed, and it would be far preferable if the Minister could come back to us on Report Stage on another day with the changed versions of the amendments he has committed to review. I welcome his engagement on that. I hope he will have a similar view on some of the later amendments, in particular the Labour Party amendment No. 12 and other amendments we have tabled.