James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Civil legal aid is a topic the committee will examine on another occasion. This has been a very useful exercise. I thank the witnesses and members for their time. The discussion has highlighted the value of the deep dive the committee does when we take on a module and scrutinise it. It has been highly informative for me and I am sure other members will agree. We will produce a report. We will consider at another meeting the deliberations today and the written submissions we have received.

Mr. Murray made a comment earlier that the dead open the eyes of the living. I can see it working its way into report. It is very pithy. I am also reminded of Joyce and the last lines of his short story about the "snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead". Sometimes, just like snow, change comes dropping slowly. There is an opportunity for us in this exercise to effect change. This is what this committee is about; we scrutinise the work of the Department and we also put forward our own recommendations. It is not always the case at committee meetings but today there has been agreement on many of the points raised. It is a very useful template. I look forward to our deliberations and to the report, of which the witnesses will all be able to get copies. I hope it will reflect all of the views expressed today and in written submissions.

I ask committee members to remain because we have some private housekeeping to deal with. I thank all of the witnesses and the organisations they represent for their input. This has been a very useful productive meeting.