Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sure it has had an influence in that regard.

I welcome the debate we have had. Is important we have brought the Bill to the floor of the House. As Deputy Murphy O'Mahony and I have said, we are completely open to debating the Bill on Committee Stage. We accept there are flaws in what we put forward. I intend to put forward amendments to the Bill. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked about the research. We have the Out of the Shadows report. The Deputy is maintaining we did not have any consultation but we certainly did. I have the publications, Reports of Racism in Ireland, from which I took records, and A Life Free From Fear. I compliment the non-governmental organisations and the 60 organisations that have put a great deal of work into this. I engaged with a certain number of NGOs and I accept that I should have engaged with more. We have put this Bill on the floor of the House and it needs to be debated.

All members of the Dáil have to have the opportunity to put their ideas and suggestions forward. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony and I are coming with open hands to say we want to hear what Members have to say. We have done service to the Dáil and to the people we represent by starting this discussion. I apologise for leaving certain minorities out. It was not what we intended to do. I have a list of amendments here that I wish to table so I hope Members of the House will see the Bill is worthy of going to Committee Stage. We will be able to debate it further and bring in the other NGOs with which I have already started to engage at a higher level. I look forward to that opportunity.

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