Seanad Report: Mr Joe O'Toole (Ind) said he was convinced that the Oireachtas would get wrong the arrangements for the proposed impeachment of a judge. They would be rightly crucified for failing in this regard, he believed.
Reacting to the announcement by the leader of the House, Ms O'Rourke, that the Bill requiring the attendance of judges before the Oireachtas in certain circumstances would be taken today, Mr O'Toole said they had seen the outrage that had greeted the collapse of a certain court case on a technicality.
"We will be crucified and correctly when, and if, but when we get this wrong. I am convinced we're going to get it wrong, because every day raises something new. I really do believe it's just not going to work for us and that we're going to be left carrying the can because we're going to be the last at the end of it dealing with this issue.
"I have said on at least four occasions that I believe we're making it up as we go along and we're going to get it wrong."
Mr Derek McDowell (Lab) said he agreed with Mr O'Toole's remarks in regard to the Compellability of Witnesses Bill, which they were to debate today. There was a clear issue of the separation of powers and there were possible constitutional implications in the proposed measure, he believed. It would be preferable to allow time for consideration of the possible ramifications.
The leader of the House, Ms O'Rourke, said it was understandable that there were worries about the proposed legislation. While there was a need for the measure to be taken in a brisk fashion, they must guard against any thing untoward that might happen.
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A Labour member was unable to contribute to the debate on adoption-related issues because she is expecting a baby. Apologising for the absence of his party colleague, Ms Joanna Tuffy, Mr Derek McDowell said during the Committee Stage debate on the Adoptive Leave Bill that she was indisposed.
Ms Tuffy was in the House for a later debate on housing.