Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I welcome the passage of this Bill which is important legislation. I commend Senator Boyle and former Senator Déirdre de Búrca for promoting it. Like Senator Boyle I have two Private Members' Bills before the House, one on FGM and the other on climate chance. I very much hope that versions of those Bills will be passed by the Government. It is a strength of the Seanad that we have the capacity to debate and pass this type of legislation in an environment that is conducive to the type of co-operation we have seen today where we have all agreed on the need to pass the legislation in a conciliatory and co-operative way. I thank the Minister of State and her staff for their work on this Bill. I thank also the staff of the Seanad and you, a Chathaoirligh, for your courtesy in dealing with us on the Bill.