Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The ability to go into real detail, as the joint committee did, on issues such as broadband or energy policy is the central training ground. Effectively, in politics knowledge is power and the knowledge of what one can really do to improve society and the economy comes from those years and years of hard work and hidden committee work. This is what Members must strengthen and what they must encourage and must value. I believe the broad changes that Members are in the course of introducing appear as though they might help to do this. Consequently, I support them and look forward greatly to the remaining meetings.

I agree with Deputy Catherine Murphy in that there are other issues I wish to consider. Members should consider that prayer at the start of the day and consider what is done in the Northern Ireland Assembly or the Scottish Parliament and to give consideration to different ways of doing this. Perhaps a minute's silence sometimes might work.

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