Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire don phlé agus tréaslaím leis an méid a dúireadh faoinár gcara, an iar-Sheanadóir Terry Leyden. Tagraím don sárobair a rinne sé i dtaca leis an reachtaíocht seo sa Seanad deireanach.

I thank the Minister for being here for what has again been a very respectful and informed discussion on Second Stage. I read the previous Second Stage debate in the last Seanad and it is hard to believe that it was five years ago in 2016. That debate was very respectful and quite similar in that we all agreed something needed to be done.Yes, it needed to be tweaked, it needed amendments and it needed to be refined. We all agree that that should happen. However, here we are again in 2021.

When Senator Boyhan made his opening remarks, I set my speaking notes to one side. I felt I would not be able to improve upon the clear, coherent, logical rationale he offered as to why this legislation is necessary and why a new system is necessary. Respectfully, there are few Members of this House who can sail through a full 16 minutes and not hesitate at all. Well done to Senator Boyhan for that.

We all agree today that this legislation is necessary. We all agree and acknowledge that it could be fine-tuned and that it needs that. The way to do that is, as Senator Boyhan outlined, to progress the Bill through the normal parliamentary process, and to get it to Committee Stage. I do not disagree, and in supporting the intent of the legislation I am also of a view that it needs to be refined and needs improvements. I would approach it in that regard as it passes through the House. However, we have it within all of our political and parliamentarian craft to get it to Committee Stage way before nine months. Nine months is way too long. That causes me concern, given that we have been here with this Bill before, as well as because we all agree that this needs to be enacted and delivered to people, for all the reasons that colleagues across the House have outlined.

I do not say this to be facetious at all, but if we can put through this House omnibus legislation, hugely complex, vast arrays of legislation, quickly, speedily and efficiently, then it is within our political and parliamentary craft to get this Bill to the place where it needs to be much quicker than within nine months. I do not want to labour that point. The argument has been made well and comprehensively by others. I have no doubt other colleagues of Senator Boyhan in the Independent group will argue likewise. However, I support the principles of the Bill, much like we did in 2016. I think we can improve upon it. The onus is on us to work collaboratively to get it done. We can do it well within the scope of the nine months that is being advocated for by the parties opposite.