I move amendment No. 1:
In page 2, line 15, to delete "£25,000,000" and substitute "£50,000,000".
This amendment arises from a drafting error which is being hereby corrected.
Irish Steel Limited (Amendment) Bill, 1984: Committee and Final Stages.
Section 1 agreed to.
SECTION 2.
Can the Minister say whether letters of comfort have been discontinued by the Department?
The objectionable practice regarding letters of comfort whereby the Oireachtas had not granted the statutory approval to allow guarantees to be given by the State but which might be covered in letters of comfort has been stopped. Letters of comfort will now issue only after the Oireachtas has given its consent.
Regardless of what twist the Minister may give it we are still talking about taxpayers' money.
That is so.
Amendment agreed to.
Section 2, as amended, agreed to.
SECTION 3.
I move amendment No. 2:
In page 2, line 29, to delete "£25,000,000" and substitute "£50,000,000".
Again, this relates to a drafting error.
Amendment agreed to.
Section 3, as amended, agreed to.
Section 4 agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported with amendments and passed.
I ask Deputy Wallace to withdraw the allegations he made. The Chair might think I am being petty but he made a groundless allegation that I conspired to prevent anyone from my constituency from speaking on the Bill.
The Deputy's statement will appear on the record.