Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If you think about it, we have been in the basement for approximately 120 hours. There have been more than 1,000 amendments and 500 sections. Like the Minister and Chair, I want to first thank all the secretariat and Oireachtas staff. I thank the ushers who carried the Minister’s boxes in and out of the rooms outside, the broadcast staff, the transcription staff and the Bills Office because this is an enormous undertaking.

I want to single out the departmental staff, who have been incredibly patient with us. They have not just provided written answers; they have also provided oral answers outside of meetings and have given further explanations, which has been enormously helpful to us. I want to thank them for that.

I want to thank Finglas, which deserves a special mention. When the audio is off, and when we are in the business of voting, Finglas has provided an enormous amount of discussion. It would be remiss of us not to mention that important part of the city.

It is quite appropriate that we are finishing Committee Stage on the same day that the Irish Planning Institute, IPI, had its conference. I share the view that the president of the IPI expressed today, which is that the Bill, as it stands, is still not fit for purpose, notwithstanding the very significant amount of work people have put into it. Report Stage will be crucial. I look forward to seeing what amendments the Minister brings forward. The discussion of sections of the Bill has thrown up many other areas where many of us want to submit new amendments. I hope if new amendments are submitted - not repeat amendments that we have already discussed - both by Opposition and the Government, that the Government will give us the time to consider those new amendments to the Bill in an appropriate manner on Report Stage. However, as it stands, unfortunately, I do not share the Minister’s view of the legislation and will continue this debate when it gets to Report and Final Stages and when it goes before the Seanad. It has a very long way to go before it meets the objectives the Minister set at the outset of this process.