Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and I thank all of our witnesses for their opening statements. I am conscious and I believe that I am right in saying that they are all volunteers in what they are doing. They are not being paid to be here and are doing it out of part of their involvement with their community. It is great to see that. While I am a Senator living and born in Dublin, I have a constituency comprised of councillors from every part of Ireland including the Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Mayo and Tipperary areas. I have three west of Ireland grandparents, two from Mayo and one from Roscommon. I would be very familiar with much of the area that we are talking about and the territory involved.