Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State. We appreciate that he spent most of yesterday, until 8 p.m., here for a debate on overseas development aid and also attended the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. He is here again this morning before heading to Belfast, which takes some commitment. All sides of the House appreciate that.

I also appreciate the various briefing documents on this technical Bill. It is sadly necessary, though if the Assembly had not been suspended there would have been no need for it. Be that as it may, we must be positive in dealing with the Bill, as Senator Bradford and the Minister of State were, even if it is a pity that we must deal with it.