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

I thank Dr. Birhane for those further remarks, and all of the speakers who have contributed. That concludes our engagement with the members this evening. We have had a long couple of sessions where there has been quite a degree of detail and engagement. This was a very worthwhile panel and I also note the submissions that have been made, which are before the committee and will be considered when we go to prepare our report in due course. That has been very helpful.

We are privileged to have such an array of expertise before us, and it is one of the benefits of these Oireachtas committees that we can draw upon both national and international expertise, as we have done this evening, to better inform. I hope that it will, as has been suggested, make the legislation that is finally produced here an exemplar of international best practice. That would be a worthy goal, and we would certainly strive to do that on this committee.

I thank the witnesses for all of their assistance. I propose that we publish all of the opening statements on the committee's website. Is that agreed? Agreed.

That concludes our business and I will adjourn until the next sitting. I thank all of the participants who should feel free to follow this process. I am sure they will anyway but I ask that they feel free to remain in touch with us, officially or unofficially. I am sure they will be watching this with interest as they have a significant interest in these matters.

The meeting of the joint committee stands adjourned until Tuesday, 20 February at 4 p.m., which is this day next week, if I am not mistaken. We will then consider a number of reports, including this one.