Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I am sorry I was late but I listened to them on the phone. Ms Ní Bhriain stated:

I feel a particular responsibility to mothers, family members of Defence Forces personnel, teenagers and former peacekeepers, who shared their stories with me ... [conveying] genuine fear at what may lie if [the Government abolish the] triple lock.

In her submission, she wrote: "I urge the members of the Committee to scrutinise this legislation as though it were your sons and daughters being deployed on EU battlegroup or NATO-led missions". I speak as a father of a member of the Defence Forces. As I have said to a number of people who have appeared before us as witnesses, we take every item of legislation seriously in these Houses and we take it as if we are dealing with the sons and daughters - or gender-neutral members - of any family, no matter what the legislation is. I assure Ms Ní Bhriain of that. That is what I will be doing and what my colleagues from all sides will be doing.

Mr. Kelly made comments about elected representatives. Has he ever stood for election?