Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak in this debate. No more than the committee's distinguished former Chair, sometimes my party doubted during our deliberations whether we would reach this point. I am glad we not only reached it but did so on the basis of a consensus.

Important work was done. The fact that we in the committee met every Wednesday almost always in private so there was no reporting of the work afforded us the opportunity to engage in a vigorous, open and realistic way. It did not afford us any credit for that in the press or anywhere else, but that does not matter if we have done our job well.

Before I address the background to the establishment of the committee that has now concluded its work, it is great for a committee to be established in the lifetime of a Dáil-----

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