Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Of course. Perhaps Leitrim also.

Part of the reason why we wanted to encourage the national institutions to hold hands, as it were, with Sligo through the Yeats piece was to make sure that people who do not get the chance to travel to our national institutions, because they do not have the time or money, have the chance to understand that these are our national institutions and that we have a share in all of those. That is something that we could bring back to the National Concert Hall.

I acknowledge the work done by the committee before this legislation was drawn up. The Minister has acknowledged that one of the changes that has occurred during the lifetime of this Government is that committees engage more at the pre-legislative stage. The Minister has acknowledged the work that was done and the help that it gave her and her officials and it should be noted that this is something that should and will continue and can be strengthened. It is important that members of the public see that the democratic process and the way we do our business in this House, while not always perfect, we have found some ways to improve it and this is one of those ways. This is a smaller Bill, but as Senator Ó Mhurchú has said, it allowed for matters to be teased out and for expert witnesses to come in and give advice to the committee, which the committee could then transfer to the Minister and her officials. I thank the Minister for bringing this legislation and thank her for her time.