Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the groups present and those who gave their testimony earlier and throughout the three days. All contributions, irrespective of the position or outlook from which they came, were significantly informative and helpful. Some contributions were exceptional. I hope the information gathered over the three days of hearings will inform Government in the preparation of the legislation it is intended to present in the early part of this year. I record my appreciation of the Chairman of the committee and its members. Over a period of weeks, we discussed how these hearings would take place. We agreed we would endeavour to set the tone for the continued discussion on these very important and, for many, emotive issues. I congratulate members from across the range of political opinion they represent for adhering to that approach. I hope it will not be lost on the public and will assist in some way to temper the engagements which will undoubtedly take place in the coming period. I do not know that there is more I can add.

I thank the media for the interest it has shown and its reporting of the various contributions. Without that attention to the three days of hearings here much critical information would be lost to the public. I thank those who took the time to attend in the Visitors Gallery, some of whom are former Members of these Houses and all of whom were interested citizens as is each and every one of us. I hope the work that lies ahead of us will lead to a just situation that will apply in the interests of the women and children of the future and that we will look back on this work with some pride.