Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has the seal of office and is the Minister for Justice. I respect what she has to do. Needless to say, she did not find she could support the amendment. I fully respect that but I have a job to do like she does. I have an electorate like she does. I gave a commitment to my electorate, which is the sitting county councillors, Independents and party. I am glad to say I have support across structured parties too. I said I would make a strong case. That is all I can do. The Opposition is very small, through no fault of our own. That is just the numbers and it is a numbers game, to a certain extent.

Let us be clear. Did the Tánaiste put pressure on the Minister or indicate in any way that she was to ease off, back off or dress it up as regulations? The Minister knows – and I am around a while too - that it is all in the “regumalations”, as they say – the big joke – and it never happens. No one can hold anyone to account because of course we are all out of here. The nature of politics is we move onto the next battle but tonight we are making a case as we were asked and mandated to do. I take exception to the suggestion the Tánaiste was involved.

Can I speak to section 114? Is that appropriate to this point? I will take the Acting Chair's guidance on that point. It deals with this.