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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Vol. 710 No. 2

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2010: Order for Report Stage

On a point of order, I am curious to know why this Bill is being dealt with by the Minister of State with responsibility for older people. She must be busy, in light of recent events. Having watched "Prime Time Investigates" on Monday night, it is obvious that she has a job of her own to do. I would be interested to know why a Minister or Minister of State from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation is not present to deal with the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2010.

It is obvious that the Minister of State, Deputy Áine Brady, is here in substitution for the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary.

I am here in substitution for the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary.

Yes. It is very strange. We have not seen the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, during the course of this Bill. He was not present for Second Stage or Committee Stage. The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, dealt with it at one point. I do not think we have seen the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, at all. There are many Ministers and Ministers of State in the Department. I do not understand how they could all be unavailable. Why is this legislation being dealt with by a Minister of State from the Department of Health and Children? I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Áine Brady.

As it is not a matter for the Chair, we will have to move on to Report Stage.

It seems to me that it is quite disrespectful to the House that a Minister of State from a different Department has been asked to deal with this legislation. We have not been given a proper explanation of why the relevant Cabinet Minister, or one of the two or three Ministers of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, cannot be here.

I am sure that will be noted.

I can inform the House that the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, is in Brussels; the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, is in Poland; and the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, is unavailable today. The Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, was due to take this Bill. Unfortunately, he was with Senator Kieran Phelan this morning so I was asked to substitute for him. I would like to express my sympathy to the family of the late Senator Phelan.

Question put and agreed to.
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