Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Members - Senators Mullins, Higgins, White and Cullinane - for their kind comments. Members are correct. It is good to get the job done, but it has been a pleasure to work on this Bill and to be involved in the Committee Stage debate during its deliberation by the Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation because we were able to see it progress through the committee, the Dáil and the Seanad.

It has been said that it has taken a long time for me to be appointed to ministerial office, but I am pleased I went this route because the years I spent on the Committee of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation were very important. I know some of the Members in front of me have put a great deal of work into the Committee Stage of this Bill as well as other Bills. The work of committees is not always recognised and it is a credit to the Members as well.

The Companies Bill 2012 is a significant body of work and, as Senator David Cullinane said, we received the English version and went through the briefing documents and attended the presentation on it. I thank the officials who are present from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. A great deal of work went into ensuring members of all parties were brought up to speed on it and were brought on the journey of the passage of the Bill. That helped to fast-track the passage of the Bill through all Stages in both Houses. This is the right way to process legislation. A great many people were involved and everybody engaged in the process of consultation. The Company Law Review Group were very busy working on it and all Members had a full chance to be involved and took the opportunity to do so.

I am glad to be present for the debate on the Report and Final Stages of the Bill. I again thank Members for their kind comments. I hope we can work together again. We will not always agree, but that is part of the process.

I confirm that the document and report that Senator David Cullinane submitted was put on the agenda of the first management meeting I attended. We will work on it and I believe an interesting development is making progress in the south east.