We were speaking in advance of a decision of the Government. The discussion last week was irrelevant because it did not bear in mind what was happening on Monday.

The Senator is wrong.

Let us be blunt about it.

The Senator, with respect, is actually wrong.

Am I wrong?

We had a debate in the House.

The debate was this day two weeks ago.

It was two weeks ago when we came back after the break. We had an open-ended debate, and there were different viewpoints expressed.

Is it still open ended or can it be resumed?

The Senator is a long-term Member of the Oireachtas at this stage-----

Indeed I am.

-----and he is trying to play-----

I was here in 1983 when the amendment was made.

He is a great survivor, in fairness to him.

I am one of eight Members who was here then.

Did the Senator support it?

Of course he did.

I did, like the majority, except for Mac Giolla, De Rossa and the Labour Party.

The point is that we had the debate and it concluded because we ran out of speakers.

I am not going to allow debate on it during the Order of Business anyway.

I had no intention of speaking on it before the Government made its decision. Am I making my position quite clear?

The Senator did not speak so that is the end of that.