Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I told the House what we agreed. In fairness, I outlined the broad direction of travel. Everybody knows it. The Commission on the Defence Forces was not the Legislature but it gave the broad outline of what would transpire. The Government must have the capacity to draft the Bill. As we know, the pre-legislative scrutiny process allows for very wide discussion. Some of the pre-legislative scrutiny processes have been very lengthy on a number of Bills in various areas because stakeholders have come before committees and given their views. I do not accept the idea that this is somehow a secret. It does mark, however, a significant departure from where we are. That is the broad thrust of what the Senators are saying. They want us to move away from where we are now. That is the direction of travel and there will be debate on the detail of it.