Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Michael Collins for letting me in as I must attend another meeting.

In joint committees we call in people such as our visitors, but today I am a witness to what they are doing and the roles have been reversed. I have been very much taken by everyone's contribution, the energy shown and the unique approaches. I feel inadequate as a public representative that I do not see and hear more about them. Even if the committee does not do so, I will definitely visit McAuley Place and Sherkin Island and Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell will come with me. I have no questions for the delegates, but I have many for the committee and politicians. I think Dr. Byrne has referred to how the delegates do not know until January what they will do every year; for example, there could be a project in May. Funding and policies are issues, but the question of timing is also to the fore. I come across many groups that work on an ad hocbasis and do not know until funding is announced that they will be in business in a particular year. That is a failing on the part of our structures within government, no matter who is in office. We need to address it to give those such as the delegates a better sense of permanence by setting out a five-year funding plan for each organisation.

I congratulate everyone and thank him or her for coming. The delegates should not thank us, rather we should thank them.