Ahern denies Labour claim that Government 'cut corners' in its haste to pass legislation

The Taoiseach has rejected Labour criticism that the Government was engaged in a "culture of corner-cutting", because of the number of items being passed in the Dáil without debate.

Mr Ahern said the procedures were part of the usual process of Dail business.

Labour leader Mr Ruairí Quinn said that they were being asked to "rubber-stamp" 21 "completely diverse items". Some 12 were passed yesterday after a vote, which the Government won by 64 to 57 votes.

This was the "corner-cutting and doing things in haste that has led to the litany of revelations at the Committee of Public Accounts and has brought about the falling on his faithful sword of 'my best friend forever', Mr Paddy Teahon", Mr Quinn said.

Mr Ahern replied that "practically all of these motions have returned from committee where they have been debated and that has always been the process".

Fine Gael's spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, said he had been pressing for two years for Ireland to ratify the Rome Statute to enable the State to take part in setting up the International Criminal Court. He had been repeatedly told that significant legislation was needed to ratify it. The Minister for Foreign Affairs had repeated this last week "yet by magic we can ratify the statute today without putting legislation in place", he said.

The Green party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, criticised the passage of the motion on the Flood tribunal, because this was "mushroom treatment of people by keeping them in the dark".

Mr Ahern pointed out that the motion had to be agreed then to allow for the appointment of extra members to the Flood tribunal. Resolutions amending the terms of reference of tribunals were passed by both Houses last July.

The following were passed without debate yesterday:

1. Supplementary Estimate for Public Services; 2. Proposal of the Treaty of Amsterdam for a council Framework Decision on combating trafficking in human beings; 3. Proposal provided by Article 1.11 of the Treaty of Amsterdam for a Council Framework Decision on the strengthening of the penal framework to prevent the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and residence; 4. Proposal under the Fourth Protocol to the Treaty of Amsterdam for a Council Directive defining the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and residence; 5. Motion on the Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, on simplified Extradition Procedure; 6. Motion on the Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, relating to extradition between the Member States of the European Union; 7. Proposal under the Fourth Protocol to the Treaty of Amsterdam for a Council regulation extending the provisions of Regulation (EEC) 1408/71; 8. Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Poland; 9. Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; 10. Agreement between the government of Ireland and the government of the Republic of Bulgaria; 11. Motion on approval of the terms of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; 12. Motion of the Terms of Reference for the Flood Tribunal.

• The Dáil will adjourn today until April 17th, 2002.