John McGuinness

We are discussing section 83 and we are on amendment No. 185. The Deputy is opposing the section in total. We will deal with amendment No. 185 first.

We will deal with that at the end. We will go through the amendments and then we will get to Deputy Quaide. We are on amendment No. 185, which Deputy Clarke has moved.

Deputy Quaide wishes to delete the section. The Minister of State has indicated that this section will be withdrawn in total.

To be clear, what we are agreeing is that section 83 be deleted from the Bill.

Amendment No. 204 has been ruled out of order due to a potential charge on Revenue.

Amendments Nos. 205 to 212, inclusive, are related and will be discussed together.

I ask Deputy Coppinger to conclude.

I listened carefully all contributions but to one in particular. Deputy Gould certainly struck a note with me in his description of local authority and local government, the spending of money and the delivery for constituents. He was right; we need to do something to adjust the balance in favour of the people we represent. I also listened to another contribution. We all get these briefs, but to c…

Deputy Crowe also has a question on this issue.

The Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach has completed its consideration of the Statute Law Revision Bill 2024 and has made no amendments thereto.

Thank you, Deputy Doherty.

Please conclude, Deputy Doherty.

I call the Tánaiste.

Deputy Doherty is out of time.

Please.

Give him a chance to answer.

I call Deputy Sherlock. Resume your seat, Deputy Doherty.

Deputy Sherlock has the floor.

Deputy Sherlock, please.

Deputy Gould.

Deputy Gould.

Deputy Gould, please. I understand that, but you will have to take it up in another way in the House.

I join with other Members of the House in extending sympathy to our colleague, Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh, on the death of her mother. I am sure all Members would like to be associated with that. We also extend our sympathies to the families and all those affected by that air crash.

In accordance with Standing Order 85(2), the division will be deferred until the voting block this evening. We will suspend for a few minutes while we wait for the Minister, Deputy James Lawless.

They all know the timings of the Dáil.