Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are plenty of amendments to speak to and the Senators have chosen to stand up but not speak to the amendments, which is interesting. This piece of legislation has not been rushed. It has not been described as emergency legislation. Consultation first began on the reform of this legislation in July 2018. The outcome of that was published in July 2019. There was then a further round of consultation. The general scheme to replace the 1971 Bill was published by the Government in May 2021. Pre-legislative scrutiny took place at the Oireachtas committee. It began on 5 July and ran until September 2021. Many of the 17 recommendations arising from pre-legislative scrutiny have now been accepted. The full and final Bill was approved by the Government on 14 December and was published on 7 January.

A total of 179 amendments were made on Committee and Report Stages, with 97 made on Committee Stage and 82 on Report Stage. The Bill passed the Dáil on 22 June. The Bill then came directly from the Dáil to the Seanad. It could not have come to the Seanad any earlier because we have a bicameral system. Legislation has to pass through one House before it comes to the other. There were no weasel words involved and there is no need for somebody I have respect for, namely, Senator McDowell, to use provocative or offensive language.

I am in the hands of the Seanad as to how it wishes to do its business. All I said was a simple statement of fact and the record of this House should be corrected if anyone is suggesting anything to the contrary. I did not seek the curtailment of this debate. I was available to continue this debate tomorrow and was available on Friday but I was told Seanad Éireann was not available.