Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his kind words. Today was the 90th anniversary of the first Seanad and it was noted how many amendments have been tabled in this House in that period. This Bill is a case in point, where we have made a couple of hundred amendments in the course of a comprehensive debate. The Bill is of great importance. We hope the debt resolution mechanisms will work to offer people some prospect of hope when they are in desperate straits and that it will help those who face difficulties with repayments on the family home. I have lived with this Bill since it was before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. That model was useful because it was important to discuss the heads of the Bill with interested groups before the Bill itself was published. I thank the Minister for how the Bill was designed as well as for its substance. The images from the debate on ornamentation will live with me for some time.