Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I pay tribute to Senator Quinn and the work he has done on the Bill. I am pleased to have played a small part along the way. It is crucial to view the passage of the Bill in this House as a recognition of how good work can be done. I also pay tribute to the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Calleary, and appreciate the commitment he has shown in coming to the House. He could have been doing better things on his final day in office.

While I do not wish to dwell on the role of the Seanad, I would like people to see this debate as an example of the House working at its best. The Bill is what I describe as green field legislation which is extraordinarily difficult to deal with because it is not consolidated but has been started from scratch. This means one hits obstacles and fences which are never easy to surmount. I compliment my colleague, Senator Quinn, on the work he has done to overcome these hurdles. I will make a small political point by stating that the Seanad is good at dealing with this type of legislation. I used to advise Ministers to commence green field legislation in this House because we would find its weak points. A debate such as this would not take place in the Dáil because the time provided in the other House is not sufficient to reach section 12 or 13. It is important to consider this issue from that perspective. I do not propose to overstate my case in this regard.

The legislation shows people who are in difficulty that someone is listening to them, even if it is in the Seanad. I refer especially to small and medium-sized companies which have done their best and are often the last people involved in the construction phase. They often make a commitment in terms of labour, materials and machinery on which they subsequently incur losses. We need proper political processes in order that people can find a voice. Those who have been pushing this legislation should have a voice in this House. This is what the Seanad is meant to do. They are lucky to have a voice in Senator Quinn who has expertise and a background in business.

The legislation is a fine job of work. I compliment the Department on the support and assistance it provided to Senator Quinn. Dealing with Independent Senators is always something of a nuisance for Departments because we are an awkward crowd. It is important that the legislation has progressed and I congratulate Senator Quinn on his achievement.