Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, it is a normal legislative instrument and we have heard the phrase "ruled out of order because of a cost on the Exchequer" on numerous occasions. If we are to change this, as the Deputy suggests, the support of every party in the Chamber would be required. He may wish to pursue the issue in another setting.

I agree with the Deputy that this is ground-breaking legislation. I thank him, Deputy Robert Troy and others who made very constructive and positive contributions to the debates on the Bill. I am glad there has been significant consensus on the vast majority of measures it contains. The Bill will bring together the expertise accumulated within the VEC structure across the country in the form of a far more effective model which will deliver significantly enhanced, high quality educational opportunities for the thousands of people with whom we need to interact and support in their efforts to educate themselves and also those others who need to access high quality educational and training opportunities in order to return to work. I am extremely confident that the legislation will assist us in that regard. I again thank the Deputies for their contributions.

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