Garda Síochána Bill
Mr. Gormley: Regarding the point made by Deputy Ó Snodaigh, we would quite happily continue until later if we had some time during the day to consider these amendments in greater detail. My colleague, Deputy Cuffe, said yesterday he and his staff are trying to do their very best under difficult circumstances. The Government and in particular the Minister is showing disrespect to this House in the way he has conducted this legislative process. It is a rush rather than a legislative process. It is regrettable that the House can be treated with such utter contempt. Rushed legislation is always bad legislation.
Mr. N. Dempsey: There has already been a very lengthy debate on the Garda Síochána Bill.
Mr. McCormack: Not on the amendments.
Mr. N. Dempsey: The heads of the Bill were published and a public consultation process was initiated.
Mr. Cuffe: The devil is in the detail.
Mr. Bruton: What about the Morris tribunal reports?
An Ceann Comhairle: The Minister without interruption, please.
Mr. N. Dempsey: The report from the Human Rights Commission was examined.
Mr. J. O’Keeffe: The Human Rights Commission has not seen the amendments.
Mr. N. Dempsey: There was a lengthy debate on the Bill.
(later)
Mr. Gormley: The Green Party cannot accept the guillotine on this important Bill. My colleague, Deputy Cuffe, outlined yesterday the difficulties he and his staff experienced in trying to deal with a series of amendments. I once described the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform as a binge legislator. If ever we needed proof of that we saw it yesterday when he lined up 100 amendments on the counter and went on the tear.
Mr. Treacy: Along the dotted line.
Ms Burton: No café bar for the Minister.
Mr. Gormley: When the Minister was out of his mind on arrogance he wreaked havoc with the legislative process. The Minister did not want to establish the Morris tribunal. Now he has chosen to ignore the advice of Mr. Justice Morris.
There are children in the Visitors Gallery who are getting a lesson in how not to legislate. As if to emphasise his contempt for this House the Minister came in chewing gum this morning.
Mr. Durkan: He is blowing bubbles.
Mr. C. Lenihan: Is a chewing gum ban in the manifesto for the rainbow coalition?
An Ceann Comhairle: Personal comments about any Member of the House are not appropriate in the Chamber. The motion before the House deals with the guillotine on this Bill.
Mr. Treacy: What would the Deputy like him to eat?
Mr. C. Lenihan: Deputy Gormley is like Steve Silvermint.
Mr. Gormley: It emphasises the Minister’s contempt for this House and his arrogance which is unacceptable to people on this side of the House.
An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy may not go into detail. What may be appropriate later in the day is not appropriate now. That is not appropriate at this stage. The Deputy should not continue when the Chair has ruled on the matter.
Mr. Gormley: It is appropriate because the Ceann Comhairle should be looking after protocol in this House. There is contempt and arrogance in the Minister’s manner which is unacceptable.