Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I echo my colleagues' remarks of gratitude to the staff for their courtesy to us. While the term is not over, it is appropriate to say this. I also join in the good wishes to colleagues on all sides of the House who will be participating in the forthcoming Dáil and Seanad elections and to those who are retiring.

Before getting to the substance of the remarks I wish to make to the Leader, I join in the extension of good wishes to Deputies Kenny and Noonan in the meetings they will hold with Mr. Barroso which are of huge importance to the future of the country. They will transcend politics and I join Senator Coghlan in wishing the Deputies well. What they are doing is most important from a national perspective and should be validated and supported.