Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is fine. I thank all the Deputies who contributed. We have had a good manifestation, from across the House, of the esteem in which the Civil Defence is held by communities, as the Deputies articulated. I thank them for their fulsome tributes to the Civil Defence and look forward to teasing out on Committee Stage the issues they raised, such as funding issues, investment in infrastructure in terms of various headquarters or accommodation issues and the ongoing recognition of the volunteering dimension of the Civil Defence. The various counties were well represented by the Deputies who came forward The consideration of this legislation now and on Committee Stage is an opportunity to work on some of the issues they raised, not least in regard to the funding, status and resourcing of the Civil Defence. Above all, this is about a legislative template for the future. I look forward to dealing with Deputies in committee and thank them again.

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