Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. At the outset, I should have welcomed my colleagues from the Department, Mr. Conor Falvey, Mr. Aodhán MacCormaic, Mr. John Healy and Ms Elizabeth Keehan, who has responsibility for Waterways Ireland.

There are a number of points. The Minister, Deputy Madigan, is speaking at a biodiversity conference and that is why she cannot be here. This meeting was time-sensitive in terms of Second Stage-----