Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has addressed the issue of gender to some extent and indicated her intention to look to those issues. It was useful and positive that she correctly identified that gender quotas are something that can be done and there is a lot of EU legislation in respect of them. That is positive, but on the issue of reporting in regard to music in particular, again, as Senator Warfield says, his amendment would not have placed a requirement for blocking, but it would have allowed a monitoring of what is happening in respect of music and other areas. There are certain areas where the Government has more freedom to bring amendments than we as Senators have. When we table an amendment and raise an issue, we are engaging in good faith. It is not simply that we might get a "Yes" next time. There is an expectation on this side of the House that the Minister may bring proposals and amendments. That is something which is very constructive because then they are the Minister's amendments, and she has the control. We would all be interested to see those. I say that to indicate that we should not simply come at the discussion again on Report Stage, but that in fact the Minister might potentially bring amendments in this area. The example Senator Warfield gave was about reporting, which is an area where we have been blocked from tabling amendments in respect of what gets reported on, but the Minister has the freedom to table such amendments.

On the question of gender, it sounds like that is an amendment the Minister is considering. I want to indicate that it would be useful so that we do not just come back to the topic but that there are proposals on the table.