Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Members opposite. Despite all the things I might say about Deputy Flanagan I thank him and Deputy Tuffy for their assistance with the Bill. It was important that the Bill would pass expeditiously through the Oireachtas. I thank them for their understanding in that respect and for the input they made to the Bill, which is better for the discussion we had not just in this House but in the other House. I made the point on other legislation - I do not make it in a political way given that proposals are floating around on the abolition of the Seanad, but as someone who has put much legislation through that House, especially in this Ministry - that having two Houses and being required to go back to the House in which the Bill commenced is very important in that it provides for a better examination of legislation.

I thank my officials for their work on this complex legislation. I thank also the Acting Chairman and his staff for their work in this respect.

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