Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Murphy for his kind words. He mentioned the July stimulus package and I will not go back over that again. Senator Seery Kearney mentioned the good work done by voluntary directors and made a good suggestion on an information campaign so people are aware. Many people serve on voluntary boards, and I have done so myself in the past, and they are not fully aware of their obligations. Perhaps an association or organisation such as The Wheel would be able to run such a campaign. If the Senator has a suggestion I ask her to feel free to come back to me to see whether we can get it implemented.

Senator Dolan made a similar point to Senator Murphy on regional development. It is a key policy of the Government to ensure we have regional development and remote working hubs are important. As Senator Currie said, there is a huge difference between remote working and working from home, which is why it is important that we get our childcare facilities up and running to the full extent and our schools back in operation in September to give people who need to go back to work the opportunity to do so, and to look at putting in place regional hubs in places where there is not huge investment at present that will support job creation in those regions. This is music to my ears and I support it.

I believe I have replied to everybody who has raised an issue and if it is okay with the House we will move on to Committee Stage.