Senator Darragh O'Brien raised the question regarding the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter. The Minister went into the other House yesterday and explained the position in his statement. With regard to the points that have been made by the Senator regarding the Minister's presence in this House, I can assure him that the Minister has practically attended every justice Bill, and there have been many such Bills. Deputy Shatter himself has come in here to deal with the vast majority of those Bills, and that should be acknowledged.

Senator Darragh O'Brien specifically mentioned a Private Members' motion. If he can recall, his party had two Private Members' slots during February following a swop with another group. The Senator is referring to the debate on 27 February which, he will recall, was similar to the debate of his party on 6 February, three weeks earlier. During that debate, the Minister came into this House and answered all the questions and the allegations that were made against him for two and a half hours on Private Members' business. As the Senator will be aware, it is normal that two hours are allocated for Private Members' business. The Minister had come in here three weeks previously and answered all the questions. It is most unfair for the Senator to suggest that he did not attend the House personally to deal with a matter which was dealt with three weeks previously.

It was a motion of no confidence.

It seems to be the way they carry on their business on the other side of the House, tabling a similar motion three weeks after another one.

It was a very different motion. It was a motion of no confidence.

The Minister has been criticised by many, but he has answered specifically the questions that were raised. The Government published a detailed report from the Garda on the fixed ticket charge and the penalty points system on Wednesday last. The Government was committed from the outset, when serious allegations were made, that they would be fully investigated and there would be the maximum transparency. These reports have now gone to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, which can hold oral hearings if it deems it appropriate. They have also gone to the Garda inspectorate. These matters will continue to be investigated. I have full confidence in this reforming and excellent Minister, who has been in this House on practically every occasion that he has had legislation to deal with.

Senators Bacik and Healy Eames raised the hearings of the Joint Committee on Health and Children. I am not going to get into that debate - as I have stated, we will have the Bill coming before us at a later stage - but I compliment the Chairman and all concerned on the dignified manner in which the hearings were held in this House over the three days.