Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am opposed to the Order of Business as proposed by the Leader. To guillotine the Planning and Development Bill in the manner proposed is a crass insult to the House. The Bill costs a layperson €71 to purchase. It was brought through Dáil Éireann and into this House, we were given two days to consider, I believe, 664 amendments to it, and Committee Stage was guillotined at 1.17 p.m. on 17 July in order to clear the deck for this term. The Government has now presented a raft of large amendments that will never be discussed in the House. It is a shame on the Government-supporting Senators that this is happening. It is a shame on the Leader that she has agreed to this. She is being told that all of these amendments will be made without consideration. There has been no explanation of the amendments and no explanatory memorandum or anything else. The Bill, which is of great importance to how Ireland develops, will be the subject of a large political lie, that is, it went through both Houses of the Oireachtas, was considered in this House and this House examined more than 700 amendments on Report Stage, half of which were Government amendments with no explanation ever tendered for any of them. That is a disgrace.