Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the very patient way he has dealt with the Bill and his willingness to accept amendments from the Opposition. I hope the Bill is a better Bill because we have gone through the full legislative programme. I compliment him on not succumbing to the temptation that must have been there yesterday, as we come to the end of the term, to guillotine the Bill and push it through. I compliment him on allowing every Deputy a full opportunity to make what, in my view, were important contributions on issues of public debate.

By extending the debate, which is not to say that it took a huge length of time, the Minister added greatly to the sense of public buy-in to the legislation. I hope we see the regulations coming forward soon. I look forward to the various issues the Minister has mentioned coming before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the full implementation of very important provisions to protect animal health and welfare in a way they have not been protected up to now. We will deal through regulations with what some Deputies feel are outstanding animal welfare issues to ensure that cruel practices are not allowed.

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